MADRID, SPAIN / RankWire.AI / – Starting from midnight on August 8, Spain has initiated temporary border inspections for individuals arriving from Italy via air and sea routes. These checks are scheduled to last until September 7. The measure was introduced by Spain following Italy’s own temporary restrictions on arrivals from Spain. This step introduces document verification procedures along routes that traditionally operate under the European Union’s Schengen zone of free movement.
On the first day of enforcement, Spain’s Interior Ministry examined 199 travelers on 12 flights originating from Italy. Checks were carried out at airports in Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Bilbao, Alicante, and Valencia. The procedures include verification of passports, nationality, and visa status for Italian passengers and other travelers arriving from Italy. Despite the new controls, air and sea travel between Spain and Italy continues uninterrupted while the measures are in effect.
Italy implemented its controls on August 1, following a significant influx of migrants into Ceuta, Spain’s North African enclave. Italian authorities stated that their restrictions would be in place until at least August 15. The Italian measures are aimed at non-EU nationals arriving from Spain by air or sea, while Italian and other EU citizens are exempt from these restrictions, according to the Italian government’s announcement.
Ceuta migration influx triggers new border measures
During the mass migration from Morocco that began in late July, approximately 72,000 individuals entered Ceuta. By August 4, Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska reported that nearly 70,000 of those migrants had departed from the enclave. Located on the North African coast and outside the Schengen Area, Ceuta’s recent migration event prompted Italy’s decision to reintroduce checks on certain travelers arriving from Spain, which subsequently led Spain to establish reciprocal controls.
Spain had urged Italy to withdraw its restrictions prior to announcing its own border checks last Friday. Madrid condemned Italy’s measures as unjustified and discriminatory towards Spain, while Italy stated it would uphold its controls. On Sunday, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani expressed hope that Rome could lift the restrictions once the perceived threat diminished. Spain designated September 7 as the planned conclusion date for its temporary controls on travelers from Italy.
Temporary border controls aligned with Schengen regulations
Under typical circumstances, the Schengen Area permits free movement across internal borders among 29 European countries without routine passport checks. However, EU rules allow member states to restore border controls temporarily if a serious threat to public policy or internal security is identified. The European Commission describes such measures as last-resort actions that must be limited to what is deemed necessary by authorities. Spain and Italy continue to be members of the Schengen Area while the temporary restrictions are in effect.
For travelers, this means that arrivals from Italy to Spain may now undergo identity and immigration document checks at Spanish airports and seaports. Spain’s Interior Ministry noted that the first checks took place at six major airports, involving nearly 200 passengers on the initial day. Italy is maintaining its separate controls on specific arrivals from Spain until at least August 15, according to its current timetable. Spain’s border checks are set to persist through September 7, with no overall suspension of air or sea traffic between the two nations.