The Spanish government announced that, due to a dispute with Italy over irregular migration, it will implement border controls on flights and ships arriving from Italy until September 7.
The Spanish government took action against Italy—with which relations have become strained due to the influx of migrants from the Moroccan border into Ceuta, an autonomous province in North Africa— The Spanish government announced that, due to the dispute over irregular migration, it will implement border controls on flights and ships arriving from Italy starting at midnight and continuing through September 7. As part of these measures, passport, nationality, and visa checks will be conducted on Italian passengers arriving from Italy and visitors from other countries.
What happened?
Italy, which shares no land border with Spain, had suspended the Schengen Agreement—which ensures free movement within the EU—with Spain, citing the need to prevent irregular migrants entering Ceuta illegally from crossing into Italy. The Spanish government warned today that it would take retaliatory measures if Italy did not lift the border controls it had imposed following the influx of irregular migrants into Ceuta by Sunday. Italy, in turn, stated that it would not yield to “ultimatums or demands” from Spain and would continue border controls on travelers arriving from Spain until at least August 15.
