The Spanish Interior Ministry announced the imposition of temporary border controls at ports and airports on travelers arriving from Italy, the ministry said. The measure formalizes earlier reports of border restrictions between the two EU member states.
On Friday, July 31, Spain's Interior Ministry announced the imposition of temporary border controls at ports and airports on travelers arriving from Italy, formalizing a threat made earlier in the day. The escalation began at 14:34 Jerusalem, when Madrid warned it would take steps against Italian tourists unless Rome lifted its own border checks by Sunday. Rome refused, and by 22:23, reports indicated Spain had imposed the restrictions. The official announcement confirmed the measure at 22:36.
The move came amid a deepening diplomatic rift between the two EU member states over the migrant crisis in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. Italy had earlier suspended Schengen free-travel provisions with Spain, citing concerns over border management after a surge of migrants from Morocco overwhelmed Ceuta in late July. Spain's decision to grant citizenship to migrants further inflamed tensions. The border controls represent a significant breakdown in intra-EU relations, as 22 EU leaders had previously criticized Spain's immigration policy.
4 developments
- StrongItaly reinstates temporary border checks on travelers from Spain over Ceuta migrant crisis
- DevelopingSpain summons Italian ambassador after Tajani backs closing Schengen border over Ceuta migrant crisis
- DevelopingSpanish interior minister: illegal entrants to Ceuta will not be allowed to stay in Spain
- DevelopingMacron orders reinforced border controls with Spain amid Ceuta migrant crisis
Source and signal
- Open-source intake