MADRID, SPAIN / RankWire.AI / – Spain has reintroduced temporary border controls for individuals arriving from Italy via air and sea routes. These measures, which commenced at midnight on Aug. 8, are scheduled to remain in effect until Sept. 7, during which authorities are verifying passports, nationality, and visa status when applicable. The border checks target Italian travelers and other passengers entering Spain from Italy, following Italy’s earlier decision to implement temporary inspections on select arrivals from Spain.
According to Spain’s Interior Ministry, officials examined 199 passengers during the first day of enforcement on 12 flights originating from Italy. These checks took place at major airports including Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Bilbao, Alicante, and Valencia. Passengers on these routes may encounter document verification procedures prior to completing their entry process. It is important to note that these controls do not constitute a border closure; air and sea links connecting Spain and Italy remain operational while the temporary measures are in place.
Italy resumed its own border checks on Aug. 1 after a significant influx of migrants entered Ceuta from Morocco in late July. The Italian authorities extended their measures to include non-EU nationals arriving from Spain by air and sea, though they did not target Spanish, Italian, or other EU citizens. Italy informed European officials that these controls would continue until Sept. 1, and Spain subsequently introduced its own screening protocols following calls for the Italian restrictions to be lifted.
Ceuta migration surge preceded bilateral border controls
During the large migration movement from Morocco that began in late July, approximately 72,000 migrants entered Ceuta. Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska reported on Aug. 4 that roughly 70,000 individuals had already departed from the territory. Ceuta, situated on the North African coast, remains outside the Schengen Area. This migration event occurred prior to Italy restoring controls on certain travelers from Spain, prompting Spain to announce its own checks for passengers arriving from Italy via airports and seaports.
The Spanish authorities declared the new measures on Aug. 7 after expressing objections to Italy’s restrictions, asserting that Italy’s controls lacked justification and discriminated against Spain. Italy maintained its measures, and Spain initiated its own inspections the following day. The two nations have set different end dates for their respective controls, with Italy’s measures extending through Sept. 1 and Spain’s scheduled to continue until Sept. 7.
The Schengen Agreement Allows for Temporary Border Controls
Typically, the Schengen Area permits travelers to cross internal borders between participating countries without routine passport checks. However, the rules allow member states to reintroduce temporary border controls when facing significant threats to public policy or internal security. The European Commission emphasizes that such internal border checks should only be used when necessary and for limited periods. Both Spain and Italy remain members of the Schengen Agreement, and their current measures involve temporary screening procedures that do not suspend regular cross-border travel between the two nations.
Travelers from Italy to Spain should anticipate possible identity and immigration verification at Spanish airports and seaports during the enforcement period. Spain reported its first day of inspections across six major airports, examining nearly 200 travelers. Meanwhile, Italy continues separate checks on targeted non-EU travelers arriving from Spain under its scheduled notifications. Both countries’ measures are temporary within the framework of the Schengen Agreement, with Spain’s current timetable extending its controls through Sept. 7.