Spain will impose border controls on all air and sea travel from Italy, effective midnight (22:00 GMT) and lasting for one month. This action follows Italy's introduction of similar restrictions a week prior, prompted by an influx of about 78,000 migrants from Morocco into the Spanish exclave of Ceuta.
The measures signify an escalation in a diplomatic row between the two European Union countries. Spain had demanded Italy reverse its checks by Sunday, but Rome stated they would remain until at least August 15. Italy's government cited concerns about a potential new wave of migration hitting Ceuta, which could then move into Italy.
This crisis has intensified the long-standing debate over migration rules within the EU, pitting Spain's socialist leader Pedro Sanchez against Italy's conservative leader Giorgia Meloni. Meloni has consistently advocated for stricter EU migration policies. The temporary suspension of the border-free Schengen arrangement by Italy was intended to prevent migrants from Ceuta from traveling further into Italy.
Madrid dismissed Italy's justification, calling it based on "spurious arguments" without factual basis. Spain argued that migrants entering Ceuta had no means of entering the broader Schengen area. Italy, in response to Spain's threat, stated it would not accept "ultimatums" and would not reconsider its decision to suspend the Schengen agreement for third-country nationals arriving from Spain until at least August 15, or until security risks were eliminated.
Italian officials have maintained that checks are conducted to ensure maximum comfort for Spanish and other European citizens. They also reiterated that Spanish citizens are exempt from additional checks, with measures applying only to non-EU residents. However, reports from El Pais indicate that several airport terminals have experienced long queues and waiting times for passengers arriving from Spain.
The counter-measures implemented by Madrid will include passport, nationality, and visa checks for Italian passengers and other visitors arriving from Italy. Spain's government stated these checks are due to "persistent irregular migratory pressure" and will remain until September 7, unless circumstances change. Temporary suspensions of the Schengen agreement are not unprecedented; Italy also maintains controls on its border with Slovenia.
Italy's decision to suspend Schengen for a month received support from Finland and Denmark. The Czech Republic, however, called for Spain's membership to be temporarily suspended. Most of the migrants who arrived in Ceuta last week were returned within days, but nearly 1,400 minors remain there.
Spain has not officially announced an anticipated second wave of crossings from Morocco. Reports of a potential second wave have been fueled by social media activity from Moroccan users planning another attempt, according to El Pais. The Spanish prime minister's office is monitoring the situation but does not expect a repeat of last week's events.
The exact reasons for the mass crossings remain unclear, but EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner suggested criminal networks spreading disinformation were to blame, an assertion the Spanish government agrees with. The crossings occurred after Spain's Supreme Court ruled that migrants stopped at sea while trying to reach Ceuta or Melilla cannot be summarily returned to Morocco.
Morocco, for its part, has attributed the crisis to the court's decision. An unnamed Moroccan government source briefed local outlets, stating that "the deterrent element of the system collapsed and the dam gave way, not under the weight of the criminals, but of a judge's decision." The large number of people swimming to Ceuta simultaneously has raised questions about why Moroccan border guards did not intervene. Ceuta and Melilla have long been points of diplomatic contention between Spain and Morocco, which does not recognize Spanish sovereignty over them.