Conservative MEPs have won the backing of fellow parliamentarians for deleting a needless reference to Gibraltar in a report on EU transport policy.
A section of the report on the implementation of the Commission's 2011 White Paper on transport called for the EU's Council of Ministers to "resolve the UK-Spain dispute over Gibraltar, which is currently impeding numerous legislative files".
However in Strasbourg today, MEPs voted to delete this statement.
Conservative MEPs do not believe the sovereignty of Gibraltar is a matter for discussion at Council level, and indeed the blockage has been caused solely by the current Spanish Government's repudiation of the 2006 Cordoba Agreement.
Under the terms of the agreement, Gibraltar is fully recognised as a part of the EU's single market and therefore should be fully included in EU aviation legislation.
Aside from the issue of Gibraltar, the report contained a number of other demands that we could not support, including EU-wide rules on road tolls and the creation of an unnecessary European Road Transport Agency.
South West and Gibraltar MEP Julie Girling said;
"The position under the EU Treaties is clear: Gibraltar is included in aviation measures. EU citizens using Gibraltar Airport should not be denied EU rights because Spain chooses to pursue a sovereignty dispute.
My constituents in Gibraltar are as much members of the EU single market as constituents anywhere else in the South West. It is unacceptable for Spain to attempt to force the UK to enter into sovereignty negotiations. Frustratingly Spain continues to block important EU aviation legislation which would benefit many more European citizens."