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Italy suspends free movement with Spain over the Ceuta crisis
The migration crisis in Ceuta has taken a turn with consequences for thousands of travellers. The Italian government has decided temporarily to suspend the application of the Schengen area with Spain, a measure that restores border controls between the two countries and opens a new diplomatic front in the European Union.
The decision comes after several days of strong migratory pressure in Ceuta, where the mass entry of people from Morocco has overwhelmed the authorities' capacity to respond. Rome considers that the situation affects the security of the Schengen area and thus justifies the reintroduction of controls on travel between Italy and Spain.
From now on, those travelling between the two countries by air or sea may encounter additional document checks and longer than usual waiting times. The measure does not eliminate the free movement of European Union citizens, but it does alter the usual operation of travel between Spain and Italy while it remains in force.
The Italian decision has prompted an immediate response from the Spanish Government. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned Italy's ambassador and called for European solidarity in a crisis that it considers affects the entire external border of the Union. Madrid rejects the link between the situation in Ceuta and Spanish migration policy.
Meanwhile, the management of the emergency continues in Ceuta. The Government has deployed more security personnel and is working with Morocco to speed up the returns of those who have crossed the border irregularly, while European institutions closely follow developments.
Italy's decision once again places the operation of the Schengen area at the centre of European debate. Although the agreement allows internal controls to be reintroduced temporarily in exceptional circumstances, measures of this kind tend to generate intense political debate because of their impact on mobility, tourism and relations between Member States.