Spain has officially implemented new border control measures targeting all air and sea travel arriving from Italy. The restrictions, which took effect at midnight (22:00 GMT), are scheduled to remain in place for one month, until 7 September, unless circumstances warrant an earlier adjustment. This decision follows a week of mounting diplomatic friction between the two European Union members, triggered after Italy introduced its own restrictive measures in response to an influx of approximately 78,000 migrants who entered the Spanish exclave of Ceuta from Morocco.
The Spanish government stated that the counter-measures include mandatory passport, nationality, and visa checks for Italian passengers and visitors arriving from Italy, citing the need to address the persistent irregular migratory pressure the country is experiencing. While Spain previously demanded that Italy reverse its own border checks by Sunday, Rome has refused, stating the measures will remain until at least 15 August.
Italy claims that Spain expects a new wave of migration to hit Ceuta by that date, an assertion Madrid has dismissed as being based on spurious arguments that lack any factual basis. Madrid maintains that the migrants who reached Ceuta had no way of entering the broader Schengen area.
The ongoing crisis has highlighted a deep political divide between Spain’s socialist leader, Pedro Sanchez, and Italy’s conservative leader, Giorgia Meloni, who has long advocated for stricter EU migration rules. In response to the Spanish threat issued on Friday, the Italian government declared it would not accept ultimatums.
Rome further stated it does not intend to reconsider the suspension of the Schengen Agreement for third-country nationals arriving from Spain until at least 15 August, or until security and terrorist risks for Italy have been completely eliminated.
Italian officials have emphasized that local authorities are doing everything possible to ensure comfort for travelers, and they reiterated that Spanish citizens are exempt from additional checks, with extra screening reserved only for non-EU residents.
Despite these assurances, reports from El Pais indicate that several airport terminals have seen long queues and waiting times in recent days, with passengers arriving from Spain directed to specific lines for checks. The situation in Ceuta remains complex; while most of the thousands of migrants who arrived on 30 July were returned to Morocco within days, nearly 1,400 minors, including very young boys and girls, still remain in the exclave.
Although Spain has not announced an anticipated second wave, reports have been fueled by social media activity from Moroccan users planning another attempt. The Spanish prime minister's office noted they are monitoring the situation but do not expect a repeat of the scenes from last week.
The exact reasons behind the mass attempt to cross into Ceuta remain unclear, but EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner has suggested that criminal networks spreading disinformation are to blame—an assertion the Spanish government has agreed with. The crossings occurred shortly after the Spanish Supreme Court ruled that migrants stopped at sea while trying to reach Ceuta or Melilla cannot be summarily returned to Morocco.
Morocco has laid blame for the crisis on this court ruling, with an unnamed government source briefing local outlets that the deterrent element of the system collapsed not under the weight of criminals, but due to a judge's decision.
The number of people swimming to Ceuta at once has raised questions about why Moroccan border guards did not attempt to stop them. The two exclaves have long been a bone of diplomatic contention between Spain and Morocco, which does not recognize Spanish sovereignty over them. Temporary suspensions of the Schengen agreement are not unprecedented, as Italy also maintains controls on its border with Slovenia.
Hundreds of migrants were pictured lined up on a beach in Ceuta to collect aid
