The GSD welcomes, also, the special attention given to the Treaty based on political importance that give rise to public policy issues, that this Committee suggest the House of Lords may wish to debate. The GSD encourages and looks forward to such a debate.
The GSD have expressed misgivings over this Treaty for the last few weeks Some are shared by the Committee that is non-partisan in Gibraltar.
It refers to the GSD’s description of the Treaty as being “intrusive and harmful” to Gibraltar’s interests by undermining its tax sovereignty and ability to attract investment.
While Spain are said to have agreed to remove Gibraltar from its black-list of tax havens, subject to effective implementation, this commitment has not been made public.
Further, who will determine ‘effective implementation’ and how long will that assessment take? If it is to be determined and assessed by Spain subjectively, the wait might be eternal, as waits over other agreements with Spain have been.
The Committee has even suggested a possible breach of the European Convention on Human Rights.
GSD spokesman, Robert Vasquez, said, “It is not acceptable that the Government should not take responsibility for human rights failings, but rather transfer the expense and worry by suggesting that these issues can be taken to courts in Gibraltar, Spain or Europe. Surely, the primary responsibility to protect persons on human rights is that of an elected Government in the process of negotiating a treaty.”
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