Rome, Italy. Italy announced on Friday that it will suspend the application of Schengen free movement rules for arrivals from Spain following a large influx of irregular migrants into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from Morocco.
The measure will require passport checks for people travelling between Italy and Spain by air and sea. Italy also agreed with France to strengthen controls at their shared land border.
Controls on travel from Spain
The Italian government said the restrictions were a response to the migration situation in Ceuta, where large numbers of migrants crossed from neighbouring Morocco into Spanish territory.
The temporary measures suspend normal Schengen arrangements between Italy and Spain, despite the two countries not sharing a land border. The government did not state how long the restrictions would remain in force.
French-Italian border measures
Italy’s interior ministry said it had reached an agreement with France to strengthen controls along the French-Italian land border, aiming to prevent irregular migrants from entering Italy.
Political criticism
Critics questioned the practical impact of the restrictions, saying there was no evidence that migrants arriving in Ceuta intended to continue to Italy.
Opposition politicians accused Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government of taking a political rather than practical approach. Democratic Party MP Piero De Luca called the decision “a purely demagogic proposal” intended “for internal consumption and to compete with Vanacci, without solving anything at all”.
Meloni’s coalition took office in 2022 after pledging tougher action against irregular migration. It has recently faced increased political pressure from a new far-right party led by retired general Roberto Vannacci, whose anti-immigration platform has gained support among sections of the electorate.
