ROME — Italy has temporarily suspended the application of the Schengen passport-free travel arrangements with Spain, introducing targeted border checks for arrivals from Spain following a mass influx of migrants into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from neighbouring Morocco, the Italian government said.
The measures, announced by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government, will remain in force for one month and will apply to non-EU nationals travelling from Spain by air or sea. Italy's Interior Ministry said border police would carry out "targeted, selective checks" to verify that travellers possess the documents required for movement within the European Union. Spanish and other EU citizens will continue to be able to travel, although they may be subject to identity checks.
Italy, which does not share a land border with Spain, also said it had coordinated with France to strengthen controls along the Franco-Italian frontier to help prevent undocumented migrants from moving onward through Europe. Prime Minister Meloni described the move as a temporary measure intended to safeguard national security while limiting disruption during the peak summer travel season.
The announcement follows an unprecedented migrant surge into Ceuta, Spain's North African enclave, where Spanish authorities have reported that tens of thousands of people crossed from Morocco in recent days. Spanish officials have said the majority have since returned to Morocco, while authorities continue to manage the aftermath of the crisis.
The decision has drawn criticism from political opponents in Italy, who argue the measures are largely symbolic and unlikely to affect migration flows, while raising tensions between Rome and Madrid. Spain has called for greater European Union coordination in responding to the Ceuta crisis.
The situation remains fluid, and both governments have indicated they are continuing to monitor developments.
