Spain has warned it will take “proportionate measures” against Italy if Rome does not lift temporary border controls imposed following last week’s mass migrant crossing into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta.
In a statement released on Friday, the Spanish government described Italy’s decision to reinstate border checks as “unjust” and “without precedent in recent history,” arguing that the move was introduced unilaterally and without prior consultation.
Madrid has given Italy until Sunday, August 9, to remove the restrictions.
“If the controls are not lifted by the end of Sunday, Spain will be compelled to adopt proportionate measures to protect the interests and dignity of its citizens,” the statement said.
The Spanish government said the border checks have disrupted travel for thousands of passengers during the peak summer holiday season and created uncertainty for travellers.
Spain also rejected Italy’s justification that the controls were necessary because of the migration situation in Ceuta, stressing that the Spanish enclave has a special status under the Schengen system and that migrants arriving there cannot freely travel into Europe’s passport-free zone.
According to Madrid, most of the approximately 72,000 migrants who entered Ceuta during the July 30 mass crossing have already returned to Morocco.
The Spanish government further noted that, based on Frontex data, Italy has recorded significantly more irregular border crossings than Spain in recent years, yet Spain has never responded by imposing border controls on Italy.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez convened a meeting with senior ministers on Friday to coordinate the government’s response to the dispute.