The Italian government has announced a temporary suspension of the Schengen arrangements allowing free movement with Spain, a move described as a response to the significant influx of migrants into the Spanish-administered city of Ceuta.
The Italian Ministry of the Interior clarified that this decision will affect air and sea travel between the two countries, requiring travelers to present their passports upon entry, despite there being no direct land borders between Italy and Spain.
Additionally, the ministry confirmed an agreement with France to intensify surveillance on their shared land border to deter any attempts by migrants to cross into Italian territory irregularly.
Conversely, critics of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government have argued that the move is more symbolic and political than practical, noting there is no evidence indicating that migrants in Ceuta plan to travel to Italy.
This decision follows the Spanish authorities' declaration that they successfully managed a wave of crossings into Ceuta, with most of the more than 50,000 people who entered the city having returned voluntarily.
The Schengen Area allows for passport-free travel among 29 European countries, but the agreement's rules permit member states to reimpose temporary border controls in extraordinary circumstances related to security or public order.