EMEA News
Spain Threatens Suit Over Gibraltar Bunkering, Artificial Reef
Spain is threatening to take a dispute over bunkering and other maritime activity off the Gibraltar coast to the European Court of Justice, United Press International reports.
Miguel Arias Cañete, Spain's minister of agriculture, food, and environment, said Friday that the nation will sue Britain unless the European Union (EU) sanctions it instead.
Cañete said the suit would focus on bunkering from permanently-anchored floating storage tankers, as well as the creation of an artificial reef made with concrete blocks, and the extension of breakwaters.
The EU says it is investigating Spain's claims that the concrete blocks were dropped in a disputed area of the Bay of Algeciras to stop Spanish fishermen from fishing in the area.
A Gibraltar conservation group said the reef is part of an effort to provide an environment for marine wildlife to breed and to prevent overfishing.
Tensions over Gibraltar have been high for several months, with Spain saying that it would ban bunkering in waters off the British territory, and Gibraltar and UK officials responding that the move is beyond Spain's authority and represents "a huge escalation."
