Workers dismantle the border fence between Spain and the British overseas territory of Gibraltar at the border crossing in La Linea de la Concepcion, southern Spain, on July 15, 2026. (Photo: AFP)

Routine border checks at the Spain-Gibraltar land crossing were lifted in the early hours of Wednesday, in line with new border arrangements under the post-Brexit agreement between the European Union and Britain.

The agreement, signed in Brussels on Tuesday, began provisional application on Wednesday and remains subject to the consent of the European Parliament and the completion of ratification procedures by both sides.

Hundreds of residents from Gibraltar and the neighboring Spanish city of La Linea de la Concepcion gathered near the crossing before midnight, Xinhua journalists observed.

Shortly after midnight, Ludwig van Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" -- the anthem of the European Union -- was played near the frontier, where the vehicle checkpoint had been removed. The doors of the pedestrian border-control office on the Gibraltar side stood open, and pedestrians, cars and motorcycles began crossing without routine passport or identity checks.

According to the European Commission, the agreement aims to secure the long-term prosperity of the entire region by promoting closer cooperation between the authorities in Gibraltar and Spain while fully safeguarding the Schengen Area, the European Union's single market and its customs union.

Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo described the agreement as "the beginning of a new era," saying it would provide greater certainty for Gibraltar's economy.

More than 15,000 workers commute across the frontier each day.