FILE PHOTO: A Union Jack flag flutters next to European Union flags at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium October 16, 2017. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir/ File Photo
MADRID/LONDON (Reuters) -The European Union (EU) and Britain have reached an agreement on the status of Gibraltar on Wednesday, according to a joint declaration between the parties.
The status of Gibraltar - an enclave at the southern tip of Spain that has been under British rule since the 18th century - and how to police the border with Spain have been points of contention since Britain voted in 2016 to leave the EU.
The British foreign office said in a statement the agreement would protect UK sovereignty and its military autonomy as well as Gibraltar's economic future.
The foreign office also said the agreement, among other benefits, would provide a practical solution to avoid the need for what it described as "onerous checks" and long delays at the border.
"I'm delighted we have finalised a conclusive political agreement which will bring legal certainty to the people of Gibraltar, its businesses and to those across the region who rely on stability at the frontier," said Fabian Picardo, the chief minister of Gibraltar.
(Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop, David Latona and Sam Tabahriti; Editing by Inti Landauro)
