Italy has not yet decided to bring forward the end of border controls for passengers arriving from Spain. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Monday (17) that Rome will continue to assess the security situation before fully restoring uncontrolled movement between the two countries.
"Border security and the fight against terrorism are two government priorities," Tajani declared, according to ANSA. The minister added that the decision will depend on the evolution of the migration crisis in Ceuta, a Spanish autonomous city located in North Africa.
Despite Tajani's statement, the Italian measure is not formally without a deadline. The European Commission notes that Italy's temporary controls on air and sea links with Spain are authorized between August 1st and September 1st, 2026. Any continuation after that date would require a further extension under the rules of the European Commission. Schengen Borders Code.
Italy did not leave the Schengen Area.
Another point that deserves clarification is the expression "suspension of Schengen". Italy and Spain remain part of the Schengen Area.
The Supreme Court reaffirmed: citizenship is born with the person.
- New legal front opened
- Processes can still be filed.
- Individual assessment before any decision.
What Rome did was temporarily reinstate controls on its internal borders with Spain, a mechanism provided for by European legislation when a country considers there to be a serious threat to public order or internal security. The European Commission states that this measure should be exceptional, proportionate, and limited to the strictly necessary period.
In the Italian case, the justification communicated to Brussels mentions the events in Ceuta, the large-scale irregular entry of citizens from third countries, and the risk of these people subsequently moving to other Schengen Area states. The controls cover air and sea arrivals from Spain.
In practice, the Italian Border Police It has been conducting sample checks, mainly on non-EU passengers arriving from Spain. The first checks were recorded at airports such as Fiumicino, Malpensa and Linate.
Spain responded with controls on passengers from Italy.
Spain adopted a reciprocal measure on August 8. Order INT/846/2026, published in the Spanish Official Gazette, temporarily reinstated controls on air and sea connections originating from Italy.
The Spanish notification registered by the European Commission establishes a validity period from August 8 to September 7. Madrid also cites risks to public order, internal security, and the management of migration flows.
By Monday (17), Spanish authorities had checked the documentation of 5.080 passengers arriving from Italy, in operations involving 462 flights and 725 agents. The checks are carried out randomly to try to avoid significant interference with airport traffic.
The dispute began after the mass arrival of migrants in the Ceuta region, on the border with Morocco. Rome argues that there is a risk of secondary movements towards other European countries. Madrid considers the Italian reaction disproportionate and responded by applying similar controls to travelers coming from Italy.
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