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Vol. 8 Issue 230 www.theolivepress.es August 21st - September 3rd 2024
Deal deadline RIP Maria THE oldest woman in the world has died at 117. The family of Maria Branyas announced her death via social media on Tuesday. In a post on her X account they wrote: “A few days ago Maria told us: ‘One day I will leave here. I will not try coffee again, nor eat yoghurt…, I will also leave my memories, my reflections… and I will cease to exist in this body. One day I don’t know, but it’s very close, this long journey will be over. “‘Death will find me worn out from having lived so long, but I want it to find me smiling, free and satisfied’.” Maria was born to Spanish parents in San Francisco on March 4, 1907, but moved back to northern Spain when she was very young. Scientists last year took samples from Maria in a bid to discover her secrets to a long life – and to develop cures for diseases. She had no health complications other than hearing and mobility issues. The ‘Super Grandmother’, beat Covid in 2020 and had survived the Spanish Civil War, a deadly earthquake in the US and a major fire. See Viva España page 6
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d breakdown services.
Date given for the start of the EU’s new passport control system that could cause havoc at the border By Walter Finch
GIBRALTAR has been given a deadline to secure a post-Brexit deal with Spain after the announcement of the start date of the European Union’s long-awaited new passport control system. From November 10, nonEU travellers entering the Schengen Area will face stricter border controls as the Entry/Exit System (EES) becomes operational. The EES will have a unique impact on the lives of the thousands of people who cross the border between Spain and Gibraltar on a regular basis. It will require non-EU citizens to scan their passports at self-service kiosks when entering and leaving the bloc. On the first time entering through the EES, they will also have to have their picture taken and possibly their fingerprints scanned. The requirements won’t apply to EU residents – including British TIE holders in Spain – but they likely will to Brits and Gibraltarians residing on the Rock if a deal is not secured. T h e
Spanish Foreign Ministry has stressed that ‘80% of the treaty that will regulate relations between the colony and the European Union after Brexit has already been agreed.’ However they have conceded that ‘the most sensitive 20% is missing.’ Sources from within the ministry told El Pais that the difficulties lie with the intransigence of the government of Gibraltar.
Chaos
NEW FRONTIERS: Updated border controls due soon
ities claim to be working to minimise disruption, travellers are advised to allow extra time for border checks when planning their trips. British government agencies and travel industry representatives have warned of potential chaos at border crossings. However, Guy Opperman, a former UK transport minister, has since explained the scheme will have a ‘six-month soft launch’ to iron out any inevitable wrinkles. EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said: “There may have been times you believed it would never happen. But the EES is going to happen.” “Everything is coming together. We’re in the final testing phase. There is a real momentum now. Carriers, op-
“While [Spanish Foreign Minister] Albares has been warning [Spanish] public opinion for months that they will have to make sacrifices to reach an agreement, [Gibraltar Chief Minister] Picardo has not prepared the Gibraltarians themselves for the concessions that are inevitable.” Once in effect, there are fears that the system could lead to long queues at the frontier with Spain, where border fluidity is essential to the 15,000 people w h o c r o s s *Data extracted from process closure surveys after using our roadside assistance and breakdown services. the fronSee pages 4 & 5 tier ev*Data extracted from process closure surveys after using our roadside assistance and breakdown services. ery day. TheOlivePress-256x170-Multi2404.indd 1 While authorTheOlivePress-256x170-Multi2404.indd 1
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erators, train stations, airports, everyone is getting ready for the big day.” The system will collect biometric data, including facial scans and fingerprints, and record entry and exit times, making it much harder for visitors to overstay the 90-days-in-180 rule. “We will know if people stay too long, countering irregular migration,” Johansson said. “And the EES will make it harder for criminals, terrorists or Russian spies to use fake passports thanks to biometric identification, photos and fingerprints.”
Overhaul
The EES is just one part of a wider overhaul of border controls. From 2025, travellers will also need to apply for the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) before their trip. For the price of €7, this additional permission to enter the Schengen zone is likely to add to processing times. The ETIAS will be valid for three years, or until the 2/4/24 11:56 owner's passport expires. 2/4/24 11:56