§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what initiatives were rejected during the United Kingdom presidency of the EU by Spain consequent to the dispute over the status of Gibraltar. [55981]
§ Ms Quin[pursuant to her reply, 26 October 1998, c. 86]: An administrative error led to an incorrect reference to the number of instruments adopted at the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 28–29 May. A revised answer is printed below.
Before the start of the UK Presidency, Spain objected to various draft instruments in the Justice and Home Affairs field because of the terms relating to the inclusion of Gibraltar. We fully consulted the Government of Gibraltar throughout the ensuing negotiations during our Presidency. The Government of Gibraltar reluctantly decided that Gibraltar should be excluded from these instruments rather than participate as part of the UK legal jurisdiction. Two instruments were adopted at the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 28–29 May on this basis (ie with Gibraltar excluded): the Driving Disqualifications Convention and the European Judicial Network Joint Action. Gibraltar was excluded from a third measure at the JHA Council which has not yet been adopted (the Eurodac Convention).