Spain’s PSOE party was returned to govern for a second successive term as this issue went to press. On the face of it this is good news for the future of Spanish-Gibraltar relations, not least as it underscores the continued evolution of the Trilateral Forum established during the previous term.

The Chamber hopes that the with the main protagonists of the Forum – the governments of Gibraltar and Spain – having both renewed their mandates, efforts will be made on both sides to re-energise the Forum and regain some of the momentum that was inevitably lost in the lead up to the elections. There is still much to do and improve for the benefit of those on both sides of the frontier.
It was the combination of personal energy, political courage and individual chemistry which brought the Forum into existence. The Cordoba Agreement in 2006 was the fruition of the first set of protracted negotiations. We hope that there will now be regular mutually beneficial harvests following regular interchanges of ideas. Individual politicians and their civil service entourages can help to develop the Forum provided it is nurtured with ideas, energy and recognising when and what to compromise and, just as importantly, what is not negotiable. Alternatively, the participants can let it wither by starving the process of creativity and vigour. Ultimately though
the Forum will thrive or die on the outcomes it delivers.
With the forthcoming global slowdown, Gibraltar’s economic impact is likely to assume a greater importance as an engine of growth affecting the Campo region. Simply put, Gibraltar’s record as a creator of jobs, wealth and sustainable growth over the last eight years has been beneficial to many, although not in equal measure, to those on the Rock as well as to those in the neighbouring Spanish hinterland.
Not everything revolves around the business community in Gibraltar but many issues do. What is more the business community is probably better placed than others to develop pragmatic solutions to issues which have stifled progress and hampered growth for far too long.

Several issues affect local businesses’ ability to grow unfettered by the usual barriers to competition. The removal of these encumbrances would enable local firms to invest and expand. This would create more jobs as well as boost government tax receipts.
Two areas in particular where the Forum could assist are by extending the opening hours of the East Gate for freight clearance into Gibraltar. Currently no freight is cleared from Spain between 2.30pm on Friday and first thing on Monday morning. By contrast, the neighbouring port of Algeciras operates a much wider freight clearance window. The second issue would be to establish a workable formula for Moroccan workers employed in Gibraltar who on occasion need to use the Spanish ports of Algeciras or Tarifa to return to their homeland.
Efforts to help resolve these and other issues would be a good test for the new administrations of Gibraltar, which promised a more consensual style of government and of Spain, which on being re-elected, hailed a “nueva etapa sin crispación”.