The Spanish government has issued an ultimatum to Italy, demanding that it lift the border checks imposed on travelers arriving from Spain by Sunday, arguing that the measure is “unjust, contrary to the interests of the European Union, and discriminatory against Spanish citizens.”
Madrid warned that if the restrictions remain in place, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s government will adopt “proportionate measures” to protect the interests of Spanish citizens, although it did not specify what those measures would be.
In a statement released on Friday, the Spanish government said that Rome’s decision, introduced on August 1, is based on false arguments that are incompatible with the Schengen Borders Code and the facts on the ground.
Italy justified the temporary reintroduction of border checks following the recent surge in migrant arrivals in Ceuta, although the inspections primarily affect air and sea travel between the two countries.
Spain stressed that none of the migrants who entered Ceuta irregularly last week were allowed to move freely within the Schengen Area, noting that the autonomous city has a special legal status.
The government also said that the vast majority of those migrants have already been returned to Morocco, rejecting claims that the situation poses any security risk to other EU member states.
Madrid further pointed out that, according to Frontex data, Italy has recorded the highest number of irregular crossings at the EU’s external borders in recent years—at times double the figures recorded by Spain.
Spain also accused the Italian government of failing to fully implement the Dublin Regulation since 2022, arguing that this has shifted a greater share of migration pressure onto other European partners.
The Spanish government emphasized that it never responded by imposing border controls despite the situation and recalled its solidarity with Italy by accepting some of the migrants who arrived in Lampedusa in 2023 and by repeatedly opening its ports to people rescued along the Central Mediterranean route.
Madrid concluded by expressing confidence that “commitment to the European project, common sense, and good faith” would prevail, while accusing the Italian government of fueling “unnecessary divisions and conflicts driven by domestic electoral motives.”
