An exhibition about Gibraltar in the European Parliament was opened by the Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia yesterday morning.

It is designed to increase awareness among MEPs and officials about the issues facing Gibraltar in Europe. This is the third year in a row that such an exhibition has taken place.

The exhibition stand is located in the main third floor foyer of the European Parliament building which has increased the visibility and the profile of Gibraltar. The location was this year organised through the kind offices of South West and Gibraltar MEP Claire Moody. The exhibition will run this week and takes place at the same time as the Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia is in Brussels in order to put across the point of view of the Government on a whole range of issues that impact on Gibraltar in Europe.

One of those issues is civil aviation where the Government has explained in a simple leaflet that EU civil aviation legislation is applicable to Gibraltar under the treaties and under the UK Act of accession. This means that the exclusion of Gibraltar would be contrary to the treaties and therefore illegal.

This point was made by Dr Garcia to a number of different MEPs, including South West and Gibraltar MEPs Ashley Fox and Claire Moody. It was also the theme of a working lunch on aviation matters hosted by Gibraltar which included members of the Council, the Commission and the Parliament.

The Deputy Chief Minister also took the opportunity afforded by the visit to introduce Gibraltar to a number of different European Commission Cabinet Offices, including the constitutional relationship with the United Kingdom and the position within the European Union.

The question of the in/out referendum which will take place in the United Kingdom and Gibraltar on 23 June has, not surprisingly, featured prominently in all the meetings so far.