Spain, Italy suspend Schengen travel arrangements amid migration dispute

Spain and Italy have suspended passport-free travel arrangements between the two countries in a diplomatic dispute over migration and border controls, disrupting travel between two members of Europe's Schengen area.

Spain imposed border controls on air and sea travel arriving from Italy at midnight on Friday, requiring passport, nationality and visa checks for Italian passengers and travellers from other countries arriving from Italy. The measures are due to remain in place until 7 September unless circumstances change.

The BBC reports that the move came a week after Italy introduced its own restrictions on travellers from Spain. Rome said the checks were necessary to prevent migrants who had recently entered the Spanish exclave of Ceuta from Morocco from travelling onwards to Italy.

Italy has refused a Spanish request to lift the measures, saying they will remain in place until at least 15 August to address security and terrorist risks.

Dispute centres on migration and security

The dispute has exposed differences between Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's socialist government and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's conservative administration, which has advocated tighter European Union migration rules.

Rome has defended its border checks on security grounds, saying Spanish citizens are exempt and that the measures are primarily aimed at non-EU residents.

Madrid has rejected Italy's justification, describing it as "spurious arguments" and saying the migrants who entered Ceuta have no physical way of reaching the wider Schengen area from the Spanish exclave.

The dispute stems from a large influx of migrants into Ceuta. About 78,000 people reportedly entered the territory from Morocco during the episode, although most were returned to Morocco within days.

A recent Spanish Supreme Court ruling said migrants stopped at sea could not be summarily returned to Morocco. Morocco has said the ruling caused the "deterrent element" of the border to collapse.

European Union and Spanish officials believe criminal networks also used social media to spread disinformation, encouraging tens of thousands of people to attempt the crossing.

About 1,400 minors remain in Ceuta, while local leaders have reported that 100 people died during the mass crossing.

Travel and regional repercussions

The introduction of border checks has disrupted travel between Spain and Italy, despite Italy saying the measures were intended to ensure "maximum comfort" for travellers.

Reports have indicated long queues and significant waiting times at airport terminals for passengers arriving from Spain.

Italy's decision has received backing from Finland and Denmark, while the Czech Republic has called for Spain's EU membership to be temporarily suspended.

The dispute has also coincided with a crackdown by Spanish authorities on migrant-smuggling networks. Spanish police recently arrested 78 people accused of involvement in one of the region's largest smuggling operations, which allegedly moved drugs, weapons and migrants between Spain and North Africa.

The measures represent a temporary departure from the Schengen system, under which participating European countries generally allow people to cross internal borders without passport checks.