In a shock decision late on 31 July 2026, Italy’s Interior Ministry issued an emergency decree re-establishing full land, sea and air border controls with Spain. Effective immediately, all travellers—EU and non-EU alike—must present passports or national ID cards when entering Italy from Spain, and airlines and ferry operators have been told to treat the route as an external Schengen frontier. The suspension also authorises police to conduct spot checks on trains, coaches and private vehicles crossing from France into Liguria, a secondary route frequently used by passengers arriving from Spain’s Catalan ports. Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said the step was necessary “to safeguard public order” after nearly 9,000 migrants reached Spain’s North-African enclave of Ceuta in the past 48 hours and intelligence services warned that some intended to move on towards Italy. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni added that the influx “demonstrates the fragility of Europe’s external borders” and urged Brussels to convene an extraordinary Justice and Home Affairs Council next week. Under the Schengen Borders Code, member states may temporarily re-introduce controls for renewable periods of ten days when faced with a serious threat to internal security. Italy has invoked the clause several times since 2023 for major events such as the G7 summit, but this is the first time it specifically targets another EU partner. Spain’s Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares immediately summoned Italy’s ambassador, calling the move “disproportionate and politically motivated”, while Spanish carriers Iberia and Vueling warned of possible flight delays at Rome-Fiumicino and Milan-Malpensa as additional document checks are rolled out. For business travellers, the practical fallout will be felt straight away. Italian airports will channel Barcelona, Madrid and Málaga arrivals through non-Schengen lanes; passengers should expect longer queues and are advised to allow an extra 60-90 minutes for connections. Road freight firms operating the busy Barcelona-Genoa ferry route have been told to pre-upload driver manifests into Italy’s Entry/Exit System to avoid on-dock inspections. Rail operator Thello confirmed that all night trains from Marseille to Milan—often used as a cheaper alternative by Spanish residents—will be subject to on-board police checks at Ventimiglia station. Legal experts note that if the controls last beyond 20 days, Italy must submit a detailed risk assessment to the European Commission. Failure to provide evidence proportional to the threat could trigger infringement proceedings similar to those France faced in 2024. In the meantime, multinational companies with staff commuting between Spanish and Italian offices should review duty-of-care policies, ensure employees carry passports rather than solely national ID cards, and monitor airline schedule changes as slot allocations are reshuffled to cope with the new regime.
Source: Cadena SER
