Restoration of Schengen Agreement Between Italy and Spain

The governments of Italy and Spain have come to an agreement to reinstate their Schengen open borders area, ending a prolonged stalemate that followed a surge of illegal migrants at Ceuta. This development was announced on Thursday.

In a press release from the Italian Interior Ministry, Minister Matteo Piantedosi explained that the decision to resume the Schengen Agreement was reached after a “cordial” phone discussion between Prime Ministers Giorgia Meloni and Pedro Sánchez, which took place during the recent European Council meeting. According to the Ministry, both leaders decided against extending their respective Schengen suspensions any further.

“This choice, made after a thorough evaluation of the situation, will come with increased information sharing to ensure the complete security of the Schengen Area,” the statement from the Italian Interior Ministry indicated.

In late July, following a mass influx of migrants into Ceuta, Meloni temporarily suspended the Schengen Agreement with Spain, aiming to protect Italy as thousands of illegal migrants entered the Spanish North African enclave. Italy had since been implementing air and sea border controls affecting Spanish citizens arriving from Spain.

Italy had repeatedly extended its suspension of Schengen with Spain over the past three months, citing the unresolved crisis in Ceuta and the ongoing issues that prompted the original suspension.

The Spanish government, criticizing Italy’s border controls during the Ceuta crisis, reciprocated with a suspension of the open-borders agreement with Italy. Spanish officials like Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares condemned Italy’s measures as “absurd” and “shameless.”

However, Spanish media reported last week that Meloni and Sánchez agreed to seek “alternative measures” to conclude the border controls, directing their respective Interior Ministers, Matteo Piantedosi and Fernando Grande-Marlaska, to continue discussions throughout the week. Meanwhile, on October 16, Italy extended its Schengen suspension with Spain for another week as talks between the governments continued.

This most recent seven-day extension coincided with the expiration of Spain’s reciprocal suspension.

According to the Italian public broadcaster Rai, over 180,000 people arriving from Spain had to go through border controls during the first month of the suspension, with 31 travelers being denied entry into Italy. The Interior Minister noted that none of those turned away were linked to the Ceuta situation.

“The lifting of border controls signifies the end of a tense period between Rome and Madrid, with both aiming to enhance their collaboration on security and managing migration flows, while restoring the unrestricted movement assured by the Schengen Agreement,” the broadcaster concluded.