A Spanish parliamentary commission has called for Gibraltar to be returned to Spain and for the scrapping of the post-Brexit deal with Britain.
The Joint Committee for the European Union made the demands in a non-legislative motion presented by hard-right party Vox.
The proposal was passed on Tuesday with 20 votes in favour, 14 against, and one abstention.
It received support from both Vox and the conservative Partido Popular, while the ruling coalition and its parliamentary allies voted against.
The approved text calls on the Spanish government to ‘demand from the United Kingdom the return of Spanish sovereignty over Gibraltar, under international law,’ by taking ‘all necessary diplomatic actions’.
It also outlines further measures, including a reindustrialisation plan for the Campo de Gibraltar area, efforts to combat smuggling and money laundering, restoration of Spanish control over surrounding waters and the suspension of land reclamation projects in the Bay of Algeciras.
Vox criticised the agreement signed on June 11, 2025 between the UK and the European Union, describing it as an implicit abandonment of Spain’s historical and legal claims.
The party also expressed opposition to the inclusion of Gibraltar’s Chief Minister in the negotiation process, arguing that Spain’s legislative bodies had been kept uninformed throughout.
The motion approved by the committee declares that:
- The Spanish Parliament rejects the political agreement between Spain and the UK concerning Gibraltar.
- It reaffirms Spain’s claim to sovereignty over the Rock.
- It criticises the negotiation process for involving the Gibraltarian authorities while excluding the Spanish legislature.
It calls on the government to:
- Demand sovereignty over Gibraltar under international law.
- Implement a reindustrialisation strategy for the Campo de Gibraltar.
- Combat smuggling and money laundering linked to the territory.
- Regain control over Spanish waters and halt any maritime land reclamation projects that may disrupt the ecological balance.
The government has not yet responded publicly to the committee’s decision.
The Spanish Parliamentary Commission for the European Union (Comision Mixta para la Union Europea) is a joint committee made up of members from both houses of Spain’s legislature – the Congress of Deputies and the Senate.
Its role is to monitor and shape Spain’s engagement with the European Union, particularly in reviewing EU legislation and agreements that may affect Spain.
While it can propose non-legislative motions (PNLs), these are political statements or recommendations, not binding laws.
The Commission cannot block international agreements or force the executive branch (the Government) to act. Its resolutions and motions – like the one calling to reject the Gibraltar agreement – are not legally binding.
