Spain imposes border checks on travellers from Italy amid migration row
Spain announced temporary border controls on travellers from Italy on Friday, responding to Rome's similar measures following a mass migrant arrival in Ceuta. Tensions between the two countries continue to escalate.
Spain's Interior Ministry announced on Friday evening that temporary border checks on travellers from Italy would take effect from Saturday and last until September 7. The move was justified by citing the ongoing pressure of irregular migration facing Italy, and came in direct response to similar controls Rome had already placed on travellers from Spain.
Shortly before the announcement, Madrid had warned Italy it would retaliate unless Rome immediately lifted its border checks. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government rejected the demand, stating the controls would remain in place at least until August 15 — a date by which, according to Italy, Spanish authorities expect a new wave of migration to reach Ceuta.
Rumours of a new arrival
Local media reported that Spanish police have been monitoring online rumours of a possible new migrant arrival in Ceuta around mid-August, though authorities have not officially confirmed they expect a repeat of last week's mass arrival. Italy's border police said they would do everything possible to keep movement as free as possible for Spanish and other European citizens, who are not affected by the checks.
Background to the crisis
The dispute began last Saturday when Italy suspended Schengen rules with respect to Spain after tens of thousands of irregular migrants arrived in Ceuta from Morocco. Spain subsequently returned most of these migrants to Morocco.
The incident strained relations between Madrid and several European partners. Italy and Denmark, both known for taking a hard line on migration, even called for Spain's suspension from the Schengen area — a step Madrid rejected and which would in any case be impossible under EU rules. Meloni has described the border checks as an exceptional measure to safeguard national security.
Since Italy shares no land border with Spain, its checks apply to sea and air travel, targeting mainly non-EU citizens. Migrants who reach Ceuta have no direct way to travel by plane or ferry to mainland Spain and onward to Italy.
