Italy’s Council of Ministers moved swiftly on the evening of 31 July to invoke Article 28 of the Schengen Borders Code, re-establishing passport controls on all air and sea connections with Spain for an initial period of 30 days. Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said the step was “proportionate and time-limited”, but necessary after an estimated 50,000–60,000 people crossed from Morocco into Spain’s North-African enclave of Ceuta in less than 48 hours. Although Ceuta lies outside the Italian land route, Rome fears that Spain’s reception system could become overwhelmed, triggering secondary movements toward Italy at the height of the summer travel season. Under the decree, carriers operating flights and ferries between the two countries must transmit passenger manifests to Italy’s border police at least two hours before departure. Travellers will face random passport checks on arrival; EU citizens should be able to use e-gates, while third-country nationals will be funnelled to manual booths. Visa requirements remain unchanged, but non-EU passengers transiting in Spain on the way to Italy may need to allow extra connection time. Business-travel groups have urged companies to brief employees and adjust itineraries. Fiumicino airport operator ADR said it has re-opened six dormant immigration kiosks and redeployed 80 staff to minimise queues. Trade body Assaeroporti warned that processing times for Madrid-Milan and Barcelona-Rome flights could double during peak waves unless additional police are assigned. Politically, the measure plays well with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s right-leaning base—yet it has already drawn criticism from the European Commission, which reminded Italy that internal border controls must be “strictly necessary” and reviewed every ten days. Spain’s Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares called the decision “disproportionate and confusing”, noting that Ceuta is part of Schengen and that almost 48,000 migrants have already returned to Morocco. Nevertheless, France announced joint patrols with Italy along the Ventimiglia frontier, signalling wider regional anxiety. For global-mobility managers the immediate takeaway is operational rather than legal: flights will still run and Schengen visas remain valid, but Italian entry will no longer be a walk-through for passengers coming from Spain. Companies should build in buffer time, keep proof of accommodation and onward tickets handy, and monitor any extension of the measure beyond the initial 30 days.
Source: El País
