Italy condemns Spain’s ‘unacceptable’ border controls as Ceuta fallout intensifies
Italy and Spain are engaged in a diplomatic dispute involving retaliatory border checks at airports. The tension stems from a migration row following an influx of people into the Spanish territory of Ceuta.
Why it matters
The conflict highlights ongoing friction within the EU regarding border management, migration policy, and the integrity of the Schengen zone.
Spanish police check the documents of travellers from Italy at Madrid-Barajas airport. Spanish police check the documents of travellers from Italy at Madrid-Barajas airport. Migration Italy condemns Spain’s ‘unacceptable’ border controls as Ceuta fallout intensifies Travellers caught up in ongoing migration row as Madrid introduces retaliatory measures on visitors from Italy after Rome imposed checks
Prefer the Guardian on Google Italy’s foreign minister has called Spain’s decision to impose retaliatory checks on travellers from Italy “incomprehensible and completely unacceptable” as people making their way between the two EU countries were left grappling with the fallout of the escalating feud.
Spain started carrying out spot checks on visitors from Italy at midnight on Saturday. The tit-for-tat move came after Rome infuriated Madrid by launching checks on 1 August for travellers from Spain in response to the recent influx of about 72,000 people into Ceuta, a Spanish territory in north Africa.
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