A sharp dispute is unfolding inside the Schengen area, as Madrid links passenger disruption to a wider argument over shared migration responsibilities.

The Spanish government has called on Italy to lift border controls between the two countries and warned that it may take proportionate measures to protect the interests of Spanish citizens. The statement came after Italy reinstated controls at a border crossing on August 1 following a mass influx of migrants from Morocco into the city of Ceuta.

Madrid described Italy’s actions as unilateral and said they were creating problems for thousands of travelers during the tourist season.

The Spanish government noted that there were no grounds for introducing the controls under the rules of the Schengen Area. It also pointed out that the migrants who arrived in Ceuta from Morocco had not gained unrestricted access to the Schengen Area because of the city’s special status.

The government added that nearly all the migrants had already returned to Morocco, while Italy has recorded the highest number of illegal border crossings among EU member states in recent years – twice as many as Spain.

It also emphasized that Italy has not complied with the Dublin Regulation since 2022, placing additional pressure on other EU member states’ migration systems.

Despite this, Spain assured that it had never imposed controls on Italy and had always shown solidarity, including by welcoming migrants who arrived in Lampedusa in 2023 and regularly opening its ports to migrants rescued along the central Mediterranean route.

Spain gave Italy until Sunday, August 9, to lift the border controls; if Italy refuses, Spain has promised to take the measures necessary to protect its citizens.

Spanish police had previously uncovered a large-scale migrant smuggling network.

Brief context and the EU’s response

Leaders of 22 European Union member states called for an immediate and coordinated European response to the events in Ceuta.

Spain’s Interior Ministry reported on July 31 that nearly 50,000 migrants had crossed the border from Morocco into Ceuta over the previous 24 hours. The ministry later said that more than 48,300 people who had entered Ceuta illegally from Morocco had returned to Morocco.

Cooperation among EU governments must continue to ensure the stability of migration processes and guarantee citizens’ rights within the Schengen Area.