Spain has imposed temporary border controls on air and sea travel from Italy, escalating a dispute between the two European Union countries over migration and the suspension of Schengen rules.
The measures came into effect at midnight and will remain in place for one month, with checks scheduled to continue until September 7 unless circumstances change.
The move follows Italy’s decision last week to introduce additional checks on travellers arriving from Spain after around 78,000 migrants entered Spain’s North African exclave of Ceuta from Morocco.
Italy has said the restrictions are aimed at preventing migrants who entered Ceuta from travelling onwards to Italy. Rome has indicated that its measures will remain in place until at least August 15, citing concerns over a possible fresh influx into Ceuta.
Spain has rejected Italy’s justification, arguing that the migrants who entered Ceuta had no route into the Schengen area and describing Rome’s reasoning as unfounded.
The dispute has brought Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni into a diplomatic clash, with Meloni’s government taking a tougher position on migration and EU border controls.
Spain’s new measures include passport, nationality and visa checks for Italian passengers and other travellers arriving from Italy.
Italy has said its additional checks apply only to non-EU nationals, while Italian citizens are exempt. However, reports have indicated that passengers arriving from Spain have faced queues and delays at some Italian airports.
Most of the migrants who reached Ceuta have since been returned, while nearly 1,400 minors remain in the Spanish territory.
Spanish authorities have also been monitoring reports of a possible second attempt by migrants to enter Ceuta, although the government has said it does not currently expect a repeat of last week’s mass crossings.
