MADRID, SPAIN / RankWire.AI / – Spain has initiated temporary border controls for individuals arriving from Italy by air and sea. These measures went into effect at midnight on Aug. 8 and will remain until Sept. 7. Authorities are conducting passport, nationality, and visa status checks where necessary. The controls target Italian travelers and other passengers entering Spain from Italy. This action follows Italy’s earlier implementation of temporary checks on certain arrivals from Spain.
Spain’s Interior Ministry reported that officers examined 199 passengers on 12 flights coming from Italy on the first day of the enforcement. These inspections were carried out at airports in Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Bilbao, Alicante, and Valencia. Passengers on affected routes may undergo document verification before completing their arrival procedures. It’s important to note that these controls do not equate to a border closure. Flight and sea routes connecting Spain and Italy continue operating as usual while these temporary restrictions are in effect.
Italy reinstated border checks on Aug. 1 following a significant influx of migrants into Ceuta from Morocco in late July. Italian authorities extended their measures to non-EU nationals arriving from Spain by air and sea, while Spanish, Italian, and other EU citizens were excluded from these controls. Italy notified European authorities that its measures would persist through Sept. 1. Subsequently, Spain introduced its own border checks after calling for Italy to rescind its restrictions.
Bilateral Controls Following Ceuta Migration Surge
Nearly 72,000 migrants crossed into Ceuta amid the large migration movement from Morocco beginning in late July. Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska stated on Aug. 4 that approximately 70,000 migrants had already left the territory. Ceuta, situated on the North African coast, remains outside the Schengen Area. The migration event occurred before Italy restored controls on certain travelers from Spain. In response, Spain announced that it would conduct checks on passengers arriving from Italy through its airports and seaports.
Madrid unveiled the Spanish border measures on Aug. 7 after expressing objections to Italy’s restrictions. Spain argued that Italy’s controls lacked justification and unfairly discriminated against the country. Italy maintained its measures, and Spain commenced its own inspections the next day. The two nations have set different end dates for their controls—Italy’s schedule extends through Sept. 1, while Spain’s measures are scheduled to last until Sept. 7.
Temporary Border Checks Are Permissible Within Schengen Rules
The Schengen Area typically allows travelers to cross internal borders without routine passport checks. However, its regulations permit governments to reintroduce temporary controls if they face a serious threat to public policy or internal security. According to the European Commission, such internal border checks should only be used when necessary and for limited durations. Spain and Italy remain members of the Schengen Area, and their current measures involve temporary screening without halting regular travel between the two countries.
Travelers from Italy to Spain should anticipate possible identity and immigration checks at Spanish airports and seaports during the enforcement period. Spain reported its first day of inspections across six major airports, examining nearly 200 passengers. Italy continues its separate checks on targeted non-EU arrivals from Spain according to its notified schedule. Both countries’ border controls are temporary measures within the framework of Schengen, with Spain’s restrictions scheduled to last through Sept. 7.