Spain to impose border controls against Italy as row over Ceuta migrant influx intensifies
Spain will impose border controls on all air and sea travel from Italy as a row between the two EU countries intensifies.
Spain will implement border controls on all air and sea travel from Italy, effective midnight (22:00 GMT), in response to a growing dispute over a migrant influx into Ceuta. This measure, set to last a month, follows Italy's own restrictions due to 78,000 migrants entering from Morocco. Spain demanded Italy lift its measures by Sunday, but Rome insists they will persist until August 15th or until security risks in Italy are eliminated.
The conflict has put Spain's Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez in conflict with Italy's conservative leader Giorgia Meloni, both advocating for stricter EU migration rules. Italy does not share a land border with Spain, and its government claims the border-free Schengen agreement suspension aims to prevent migrants from Ceuta from traveling to Italy.
Spain dismisses this, stating the migrants had no means to enter the Schengen area. Italy, however, insists that local authorities are doing their utmost to ensure passenger comfort, only applying additional checks to non-EU residents. Spain's controls include passport, nationality, and visa checks for Italian and other passengers arriving from Italy.
The crisis isn't unprecedented, as Italy also maintains controls at its border with Slovenia. The decision to temporarily suspend the Schengen agreement was supported by Finland and Denmark, while the Czech Republic called for Spain's membership suspension. Despite no anticipated second wave of crossings from Morocco, social media suggests Moroccan users plan a repeat attempt.
Spain's government monitors the situation but expects no repeat. The cause of the recent migrant influx remains unclear, though the EU's Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner suggests criminal networks spreading disinformation are responsible. Spain's Supreme Court recently ruled that migrants at sea cannot be returned to Morocco.
Morocco blames the decision on the court's ruling, asserting that the deterrent element of the system has collapsed.
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