Mail Delivery - 599/2026

The Government takes this opportunity to clarify that the new Treaty arrangements regarding mail delivery have restored the processes to be the same as when Gibraltar was in the EU.

Prior to the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union, mail destined for Gibraltar was routinely transported by air to Málaga before being conveyed by road into Gibraltar. Mail originating from many other international destinations also entered Gibraltar via Spain under longstanding operational arrangements that pre-dated the recent Treaty. In all cases, mail went through customs.

There were two principal reasons why airlines adopted this approach:

1. Airlines increasingly prioritised courier services, which were more commercially attractive than carrying ordinary mail.

2. On many flights, passenger baggage, particularly golf equipment and specialist contractors' equipment, occupied much of the available cargo space, leaving insufficient capacity for mail and resulting in frequent delays.

As a consequence, in 2010 the then GSD Government agreed to route mail through Spain.

The arrangements under which mail entered Gibraltar via Spain and was processed by Spanish Customs are therefore nothing new. They have existed for at least the past 25 to 30 years.

This remained the position until 2019, when the GSLP-Liberal administration reintroduced a limited direct airmail service to Gibraltar in anticipation of a hard Brexit and the potential disruption that could have resulted from a no-negotiated outcome. The recent Treaty removes the need for those contingency arrangements.

The implementation of the Treaty has introduced new routing and border procedures for UK mail, while maintaining the continuity of postal services.

The Gibraltar Post Office has worked closely with all relevant authorities to ensure that mail services are maintained following the implementation of the Treaty.

As with any significant operational change, a number of practical implementation issues have had to be addressed. The Post Office has worked constructively with all relevant stakeholders, including HM Customs and the Borders and Coastguard Agency, to resolve any issues as quickly as possible.

Movements of mail:

(1) Mail from the UK to Gibraltar: The inbound mail from the UK has been transported by road via France into Spain and has crossed into Gibraltar.

(2) Mail from Gibraltar to the UK: Outbound mail is being dispatched to the UK and, once it has crossed the frontier, is transported by air to its final destination.

(3) Mail between Gibraltar and Spain: This includes mail delivered to Gibraltar from Spain and other parts of the world and has continued to operate without interruption.

Mail is now being processed and delivered by the Gibraltar Post Office under the new operational arrangements.

The mail is transported via the best available operational options, which will continue to be refined to improve efficiency and transit times.

Minister with responsibility for the Post Office, Nigel Feetham KC MP, said: "As would be expected following the implementation of a Treaty of this scope and significance, operational processes and systems require time to become fully embedded. The Government extends its thanks to the senior management team and staff of the Gibraltar Post Office, together with HM Customs and the Borders and Coastguard Agency, for their professionalism, cooperation and dedication in supporting the continued movement and delivery of mail throughout this transition."

The Royal Gibraltar Post Office also reminds and encourages both individual and business customers to sign up for its free E-Post Service. Registered users receive email notifications as soon as parcels or registered mail items are ready for collection, together with reminder alerts to help ensure that items are collected before they are returned to the sender, as well as access to a secure online payment system.