Spain to establish border controls on travelers from Italy amid migration dispute

Spain announced on Friday it will impose border controls on flights and ships from Italy starting Saturday midnight until September 7, citing persistent irregular migratory pressure. The measures include passport, nationality, and visa checks for Italian passengers and others arriving from Italy. Italy responded by refusing to bow to ultimatums and maintaining its own controls on arrivals from Spain until at least August 15, amid a dispute over migration triggered by a mass influx of 72,000 people into Ceuta on July 30.

Spain's government announced on Friday that it would impose border controls on flights and ships arriving from Italy, effective from midnight on Saturday until September 7. The measures, which include passport, nationality, and visa checks for Italian passengers and visitors from other countries arriving from Italy, were justified by the government as a response to "persistent irregular migratory pressure" from Italy. Spain stated that the measures would apply while Italy maintained its own controls, which Spain said were motivated by the mass migration rush of 72,000 people into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta on July 30. Earlier on Friday, Italy responded by declaring it would not bow to "ultimatums or impositions" from Spain and would maintain its border controls on arrivals from Spain until at least August 15. The reciprocal measures mark an escalation in the dispute between the two neighboring countries over irregular migration, with Spain threatening reciprocal action unless Rome lifted its controls by Sunday. Italy's statement indicated it would only reconsider its decision once it was certain there were no security or terrorism risks, no new migration wave, and no irregular migrants heading towards European territory.