MADRID, SPAIN / RankWire.AI / – During the first day of enforcement, authorities inspected 199 passengers arriving from Italy across six airports, including Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Bilbao, Alicante, and Valencia. The temporary border controls, which began at midnight on Aug. 8 and are set to continue until Sept. 7, involve verifying passports, nationality, and visa status where applicable. These measures apply to Italian travelers and other passengers entering Spain from Italy and are not indicative of a border closure. Air and sea links between Spain and Italy remain active during this period, despite the new screening procedures.
Italy reintroduced checks on Aug. 1 following a significant influx of migrants into Ceuta from Morocco in late July. The Italian authorities targeted non-EU nationals arriving via air and sea from Spain, excluding Spanish, Italian, and other EU citizens from these measures. Italy informed European authorities that the controls would stay in place through Sept. 1. In response, Spain announced its own border checks after criticizing Italy’s restrictions and calling for their withdrawal.
Ceuta migration surge predated bilateral border measures
Approximately 72,000 migrants crossed into Ceuta during the large migration wave from Morocco that began in late July. Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska noted on Aug. 4 that around 70,000 of those had already left the territory. Ceuta, located on the North African coast, remains outside the Schengen Area. This migration event occurred before Italy reinstated controls on specific travelers from Spain, prompting Spain to implement its own checks on passengers arriving via its airports and ports from Italy.
Spain announced the border inspections on Aug. 7 after objecting to Italy’s restrictions, claiming they lacked justification and discriminated against Spain. Italy retained its controls, leading Spain to start its own inspections the following day. The two nations set different end dates: Italy’s measures are scheduled to conclude on Sept. 1, while Spain’s controls will remain until Sept. 7.
Temporary controls permitted within Schengen guidelines
The Schengen Agreement generally allows travelers to cross borders between member countries without routine passport checks. However, its rules permit governments to reintroduce temporary controls in cases of serious threats to public order or internal security. The European Commission emphasizes that border checks should be used only when necessary and for limited durations. Both Spain and Italy are members of the Schengen Area, and their current measures involve temporary screening procedures that do not suspend regular travel between the two nations.
Travelers arriving from Italy to Spain should anticipate possible identity and immigration checks at Spanish airports and seaports during the enforcement period. On its first enforcement day, Spain conducted inspections at six key airports, screening nearly 200 travelers. Italy maintains separate controls on targeted non-EU arrivals from Spain according to its notified schedule. Both sets of controls are temporary measures within the Schengen framework, with Spain’s current timetable extending until Sept. 7.