HEALTHPLAN MAGAZINE

The Spanish and Gibraltar governments are set to go head-to-head once again after the Gibraltar government rejected recent proposals by the Spanish for a new "fast-track" system onto the island for Spanish workers.

The new system would cost over 5 million Euro's to implement and would involve the creation of red and green channels which would give those who commute from Spain on to Gibraltar preferential treatment.

The recommendation has been firmly rejected by the Gibraltar government who feel that the move is "discriminatory" and purely in retaliation to the dropping of concrete blocks into the sea off Gibraltar in 2013. The Gibraltar government said the move was done to encourage sea-life in the area, but the Spanish believe that the blocks would cause problems for Spanish fisherman who's nets would get snagged and damaged on the blocks.

The Gibraltar government believe that all citizens of the European Union should be treated equally and that the new fast-track system would undermine the rights of all EU nationals and their freedom of movement between Spain and Gibraltar.

Every day, around 6,000 Spanish workers commute onto Gibraltar with the border crossing taking anything from 60 to 90 minutes. It is thought that the majority of the delays are due to the stringent checks that are carried out by the Spanish border police.

The Spanish government believe that their checks are necessary and are there to prevent the smuggling of tobacco off the island and into Spanish territory.

EU inspectors made a fact-finding trip to the island in September 2013 and confirmed that the checks were legitimate and that Spain had the right to carry out their stringent border checks.

In 2013, the crossing onto Gibraltar was taking up to eight hours which saw commuters sitting in the scorching hot summer sun.

Each day, approximately 30,000 people cross the border between Spain and Gibraltar, many of which are tourists.