Spain Extends Border Controls on Travelers Arriving From Italy
The Interior Ministry said the latest extension will begin at midnight on Oct. 8 and remain effective until midnight on Oct. 22. The decision was published Tuesday in Spain’s Official Gazette.
Authorities said the circumstances that led to the introduction of the controls remain in place, citing an “urgency and serious threat to public order and internal security.” The government said the continued restrictions are therefore justified under the Schengen Borders Code.
Spain first introduced the temporary controls for a 30-day period beginning Aug. 8 and ending Sept. 7. The measure was subsequently extended twice, first through Sept. 22 and then through Oct. 7. The latest decision represents the third extension of the restrictions.
The controls cover Spain’s internal air and maritime borders for passengers traveling from Italy. Under the original measure, the restrictions apply specifically to passenger flights and maritime services whose last airport or port of departure is located in Italy.
The government said the situation will remain under continuous review. The controls could be lifted before Oct. 22 if the authorities determine that the identified threats have disappeared or can be managed through measures that impose fewer restrictions on travelers.
Any decision to prolong the controls beyond the latest deadline would require another formal assessment. Authorities would have to determine that an additional extension remains necessary and proportionate to the circumstances.
The border measures were initially introduced against the backdrop of heightened migration tensions between European countries. Italy had previously imposed checks on travelers arriving from Spain following the large-scale arrival of migrants in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from Morocco.
Around 72,000 migrants reached Ceuta on July 30 and 31, prompting increased attention to movements across European and Schengen borders.
The situation in Ceuta has remained a concern, with more than 3,000 migrants, including several hundred minors, still estimated to be living on the streets of the North African enclave.
Spain subsequently introduced controls on travelers arriving from Italy on Aug. 8, officially citing migration pressure along the Central Mediterranean route and concerns over unauthorized onward movements from Italy toward other Schengen countries, including Spain.
The continued extension reflects Spain’s decision to maintain additional monitoring of certain internal Schengen travel routes while authorities assess whether the circumstances that prompted the controls continue to require the measure.
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