by JOE GARCIA
As foreshadowed by PANORAMA, the EU Treaty mandate is due to be published next week, this will lead to the start of negotiations at some later point and to a conclusion by the end of the year. However, both sides foresee hard times ahead, as clearly, there are points of contention that need to be ironed out.
To get things moving, the Spanish under secretary for the EU, Gonzalez Barba, held a meeting with the eight municipalities in the Campo this week He would have learnt much had he stepped on Gibraltar soil, but Spanish ministers are apparently prohibited from stepping on Gibraltar – unless it was to hoist the Spanish flag! Some hope!