Spain Introduces Border Control with Italy
This is a mirror response to Rome's reaction to the influx of migrants into Spanish Ceuta. However, Italy and Spain do not share a common land border.
Migrants from Morocco in Ceuta. Photo: Adri Salido/Getty Images
Spain has introduced border control for those arriving from Italy by air and sea, amidst escalating conflict between the two European Union countries, triggered by the reaction to the recent influx of tens of thousands of migrants from Morocco into the Spanish exclave of Ceuta in Africa. Italy and Spain do not share a common land border, writes the BBC.
As stated by Spanish authorities, border control, which includes passport, nationality, and visa checks for third-country nationals, is being introduced for one month — until September 7.
The decision was made "against the backdrop of pressure from illegal migrants," Reuters quotes the official statement.
The Spanish government announced the introduction of border control after Italy, a week ago, introduced similar measures against third-country nationals arriving from Spain, explaining it by the recent influx of over 70,000 migrants from Morocco into the Spanish exclave of Ceuta in Africa. By temporarily limiting the effect of the Schengen Agreement, which provides for free movement across the internal borders of member countries, Rome explained this as an attempt to prevent migrants who entered Ceuta from later ending up in Italy.
Madrid called these arguments "far-fetched" and without any factual basis, as migrants who entered Ceuta had no opportunity to enter the European Schengen area due to the special status of the exclave city.
Meanwhile, most of the Moroccans who were in Ceuta have already returned: according to data for this week, about 2,000 people remained in Ceuta, mostly young people, who arrived there by sea from Morocco at the end of July, the Spanish Interior Ministry reported.
On Friday, Spain demanded that Italy revoke border controls for those arriving from Spain no later than Sunday, August 9, making it clear that it was ready to introduce similar measures if the controls remained. The Spanish Foreign Ministry summoned the Italian ambassador.
However, Italian authorities stated on the same day that they would not comply with Spain's "ultimatums" and would "under no circumstances" reconsider the decision to reintroduce border control, which will be in effect at least until August 15 — when, according to their information, a new wave of migrants is expected in Ceuta.
Spain has not stated that it expects a second wave of migration to Ceuta. Such rumors are circulating on social media. Nevertheless, according to Italian authorities, control will only be lifted when they can ensure "the absence of security and terrorism threats, a new wave of migration, as well as illegal migrants heading to European territory," Reuters quotes excerpts from the official statement.
What the Return of Border Control Led To
Announcing the introduction of border controls for those arriving from Spain, Italian officials stated that Spanish citizens and those from other Schengen Zone countries would be exempt from additional checks and that border guards were doing "everything possible" to ensure their maximum comfort.
However, as reported by the Spanish newspaper El País, in recent days, several terminals at Italian airports have seen long queues at border control, with passengers arriving from Spain directed to a separate queue for checks.
At Rome's Fiumicino Airport, which receives 55 to 60 flights from Spain daily during the summer season, several passengers on an Iberia flight from Madrid confirmed to the EFE agency that on Friday, police officers checked passenger documents even on the jet bridge connecting the aircraft to the terminal.
Iberia also sent messages to passengers on its flights to Italy informing them that Italian authorities had "temporarily reinstated border control," El País learned.
Political Context
The mirror actions of the Italian and Spanish authorities reflect the opposing positions of Spanish socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and the leader of the Italian right-wing conservatives, Giorgia Meloni, who advocates for stricter migration rules in the EU.
As El País wrote, facing the migration crisis in Africa, Spain expected a reaction from other EU countries similar to the one the European Union demonstrated in 2021, when thousands of people tried to enter the union through Belarus's border with the Baltic states and Poland. However, in the case of the Ceuta crisis, the reaction was different. Italy's decision to introduce controls for those arriving from Spain was supported by Finland, Denmark, Austria, and the Czech Republic.
However, temporary suspensions of the Schengen Agreement and the introduction of controls at internal national borders are not unprecedented. For example, Italy itself has a similar internal control regime on its border with Slovenia.