Spain has introduced temporary border controls on travellers arriving from Italy via flights and ships. These measures, which began at midnight on Saturday and are scheduled to last until September 7, resulted in approximately 200 travellers being checked at Spain's six largest airports on the first day of implementation.
The move escalates a diplomatic dispute between the two EU partners over irregular migration. Spain's actions come in retaliation for similar controls imposed by Rome after more than 70,000 migrants entered Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta from Morocco. While Madrid states that most of these migrants were swiftly returned, it has accused Italy of allowing persistent irregular migration.
The European Union has stated that these tit-for-tat restrictions are temporary and will not have a lasting impact on the Schengen zone. Under EU rules, member states are permitted to temporarily reintroduce controls at internal borders as a time-limited last resort in the event of a serious threat.