Imports including medicines, fresh produce and other commercial goods faced significant delays as businesses and Customs adjusted to the Treaty’s new frontier procedures, with some freight reportedly held since the arrangements began on 15 July. The disruption is the clearest early warning that documentation errors and unfamiliar processes can quickly affect stock availability, perishable goods and operating costs across Gibraltar’s retail and wholesale sectors.

Over the past two years, I must have written more words about the Treaty than almost any other subject. Through the Thrive EDIT, I've tried to cut through the politics and focus on what really matters to Gibraltar's business community. We've unpacked customs guidance, explained residency proposals, questioned support measures, covered Government announcements, highlighted members' concerns and, where necessary, asked awkward questions on your behalf. The aim has always been the same: to make one of the biggest economic changes in Gibraltar's history feel just a little easier to understand.

Conflicting advice around EORI requirements is leaving some importers unsure what they need to do before Treaty implementation. We explore where the confusion lies, what obtaining an EORI actually involves, the practical questions businesses are still asking, and why clearer, consistent guidance for freight forwarders and customs agents could make all the difference.

In a Press Release issued to local media this week, the Gibraltar Federation of Small Businesses (GFSB) has made detailed written submissions to the Minster for Business regarding the Government’s Residency Policy. While recognising the Government’s objective of protecting public services and ensuring long-term fiscal sustainability, the GFSB says the proposed measures represent a significant change to Gibraltar’s previous residency policy. 

Over the past few weeks, Gibraltar businesses have received a steady flow of Treaty-related information. This has included technical customs guidance, FAQs, Town Hall meetings, residency proposals and updates on customs procedures. Taken together, these have helped businesses build a clearer understanding of how the new arrangements will work, and that progress is widely recognised.  Whilst uncertainty and concerns remain the effort being made by political and civil Government is clear.  As implementation approaches, our attention is increasingly turning to another aspect of the transition: how businesses will manage the associated costs.

Can Amazon deliver into Gibraltar after the Treaty? It's one of the questions retailers keep asking. New Government guidance confirms that commercial deliveries from Spain and the EU, including online orders, must still comply with customs and tax rules and cannot simply cross the border unchecked. We break down what the guidance says about Amazon, Spanish retailers, takeaway deliveries, enforcement and fair competition.

The Government has announced a series of sector-specific Treaty Town Hall meetings, aimed at helping businesses understand how the new arrangements will work in practice. The initial sessions will focus on pharmaceuticals, medical products and special customs procedures, with ministers, HM Customs and the Attorney General on hand to answer questions and provide further guidance ahead of implementation.

In a week Spain started demolishing its physical frontier infrastructure ahead of the expected a5 July Treaty implementation date, HM Government has published a further package of Treaty-related customs guidance aimed at businesses, importers, exporters, freight forwarders and logistics operators preparing for the new customs arrangements expected to come into force under the UK-EU Gibraltar Treaty.

A few weeks ago, we wrote about how the lack of clear residency rules was affecting local businesses. This week, the Government has announced a new residency framework that could significantly change who is able to become a resident of Gibraltar in the future, and on what basis. The stated aim is to ensure that residency is linked to genuine economic contribution, protect public services and provide greater clarity around who qualifies for residency and the benefits that come with it.

Last week, we shared a Treaty Readiness Survey with our members and the wider community to take a temperature check of how they feel with just over a month to go until July 15th. The results provide a useful snapshot of how Gibraltar businesses currently feel about Treaty implementation, with responses pointing to a business community that is engaged with the issue but still facing uncertainty around the practical implications.