Italy has extended the suspension of the Schengen Agreement for an additional 15 days, pushing the measure to the end of September. The decision was announced by Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi following a meeting with the Committee for Immigration and Border Security Analysis. In a statement, the ministry cited «elevated levels of risk to internal security, as well as a possible danger related to potential terrorist infiltrations» as the reason for the extension.
Spain responded in kind, adopting the same measure for flights arriving from Italy and extending its suspension until October 8. The Spanish Interior Ministry informed the European Union on Tuesday of its decision to maintain border controls, which were reintroduced on August 8. The government believes the circumstances that prompted the measure remain unchanged, though it noted that a shift in conditions could lead to a modification of the timeframe.
The dispute traces back to August 31, when Italy's government, led by Giorgia Meloni, imposed controls on flights and port entries from Spain amid a massive influx of migrants into Ceuta. Rome described the move as a matter of «national security». The decision was applauded by other European leaders, including those of Denmark and the Czech Republic.
Spain has openly criticized Italy's actions since they were first announced a month and a half ago. On Tuesday, Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares again labeled the Italian decision a «disgrace», pointing out that Italy currently receives twice as many irregular entries. «It is absurd, it is useless, and it is a disgrace because it undermines the spirit, the philosophy of what it means to be European partners», Albares said in remarks to the media at the Senate.
The Spanish government, led by Pedro Sánchez, had demanded that Rome lift the restrictions, without success, and responded by suspending Schengen with Italy until September 7, applying controls to travelers from that country as well. On August 31, after a month of the measure, Italy claimed to have checked more than 180,000 travelers from Spain at its borders. It also denied entry to 31 people, including eight Moroccans, and detained six others.
The Schengen suspension has become a symbol of the broader tensions within the European Union over migration policy. Italy's initial decision was met with sharp criticism from Madrid, which viewed it as a unilateral and disproportionate move. Spain's retaliatory measures have further strained relations between the two countries, both of which are key players in the EU's migration and border management discussions.
The crisis in Ceuta, which began in late July when tens of thousands of migrants entered the Spanish enclave from Morocco, remains a flashpoint. The Spanish government has faced domestic criticism for its handling of the situation, with opposition parties accusing it of failing to secure the border. The extension of border controls between Italy and Spain underscores the deepening divisions within the EU over how to manage migration and security.
As the suspensions continue, travelers between the two countries face increased scrutiny and potential delays. The measures are set to remain in place until at least the end of September for Italy and October 8 for Spain, unless the respective governments decide otherwise. The European Commission has not yet commented on the extensions, but the situation is likely to be discussed at upcoming EU interior ministers' meetings.