MADRID, SPAIN / RankWire.AI / – Starting from midnight on Aug. 8 and scheduled to last until Sept. 7, Spain has begun conducting temporary border inspections for travelers arriving from Italy by air and sea. Authorities are verifying passports, nationality, and visa status where applicable. The controls target Italian travelers and other passengers entering Spain from Italy. This action comes after Italy reintroduced temporary checks on certain arrivals from Spain.
During the first day of enforcement, Spain’s Interior Ministry reported that officials examined 199 passengers on 12 flights from Italy. The inspections occurred at airports in Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Bilbao, Alicante, and Valencia. Travelers on affected routes might face document checks before completing their entry procedures. These controls do not constitute a border closure. Air and sea connections between Spain and Italy are ongoing while these temporary measures are in place.
Italy reinstated border checks on Aug. 1 following a significant influx of migrants arriving in Ceuta from Morocco in late July. Italian authorities applied these measures to non-EU nationals arriving from Spain by air and sea. Citizens of Spain, Italy, and other EU countries were not subjected to these controls. Italy informed European authorities that their measures would be in effect until Sept. 1. Spain subsequently introduced its own checks after calling for Italy to withdraw its restrictions.
Ceuta influx occurred prior to bilateral border controls
Approximately 72,000 migrants entered Ceuta amid the large migration event from Morocco that started in late July. Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska stated on Aug. 4 that roughly 70,000 had already left the territory. Ceuta, located on the North African coast, remains outside the Schengen Area. This migration episode happened before Italy reintroduced controls on certain travelers from Spain. Spain then announced its own measures, inspecting passengers arriving from Italy through airports and seaports.
Madrid announced the new Spanish controls on Aug. 7 after opposing Italy’s restrictions. Spain argued that Italy’s measures lacked justification and were discriminatory. Italy maintained its restrictions, and Spain began its inspections the next day. Both governments set different end dates: Italy’s measures are scheduled through Sept. 1, and Spain’s controls are planned to last until Sept. 7.
The Schengen Agreement Allows for Temporary Border Measures
Typically, the Schengen Area permits travelers to cross member countries’ internal borders without routine passport checks. However, its rules allow governments to restore temporary border controls if they perceive a serious threat to public policy or internal security. According to the European Commission, such internal border controls should be used only when necessary and for limited durations. Spain and Italy remain part of the Schengen Area. Their current measures involve temporary screenings without suspending normal travel between the two nations.
Travelers from Italy to Spain should anticipate possible identity and immigration checks at Spanish airports and seaports during the control period. On the first day, Spain conducted inspections at six major airports, examining nearly 200 travelers. Italy continues its separate checks on targeted non-EU arrivals from Spain according to its notified schedule. Both measures are temporary within the Schengen framework, with Spain’s current schedule extending until Sept. 7.