Gibraltar, UK & EU discussions scheduled to take place every three weeks until December, says El Pais

Discussions between Gibraltar, the UK and the EU are scheduled to take place every three weeks until December, when the negotiations over the Rock's future relationship with the EU will end, according to El Pais.

The Spanish newspaper says, however, that many in Brussels believe the negotiations will be extended beyond then.

According to the Spanish national newspaper, the agenda for this week's meetings include the establishment of both sides' starting points in the negotiations, and the clarification of any doubts that may arise.

El Pais says this week's meeting in Brussels, held at a technical level, will be followed by another in London in three weeks' time, and then every three weeks until December, although sources in Brussels suggest negotiations are likely to go beyond that.

The Gibraltar Government already confirmed last week that the talks would not have Ministerial involvement.

El Pais quotes sections 15 to 25 of the European Council's negotiating mandate 68 point annex, which it says suggests that Spanish Border Guards will be in charge of the control of passengers at the entrance to Gibraltar through the airport and the port, and that it will be Spain who decides whether visas and residence permits are granted to arrivals from third countries.

It speculates that the absence to any references to the European border agency Frontex is likely to have irritated the UK.