Italy suspends the Schengen area with Spain and closes its air and sea borders due to the Ceuta crisis

The Government of Giorgia Meloni has suspended this Friday the free circulation of the Schengen area with Spain and has ordered to close its maritime and air borders with the country. The decision comes after the entry of nearly 50,000 people from Morocco into Ceuta and further raises diplomatic tension between Rome and Madrid.

The Italian Ministry of Interior has adopted the measure after analyzing the information gathered by the Committee of Analysis on Immigration and Border Security, convened by Matteo Piantedosi. Italy has not yet clarified how long it will be in force or how it will affect flights, ferries and other connections between both countries.

Italy and Spain lack a common land border. The suspension will therefore affect travel through airports and ports, where Rome will be able to re-establish documentary controls. The Italian Government has also agreed with France to reinforce surveillance at the border shared by both countries.

The decision comes after Finland and Denmark have publicly supported studying the suspension of Spain within the Schengen area. Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis has also demanded measures against Madrid. France, for its part, has already activated a rapid intervention force to intensify controls at its border with Spain.

Sánchez responds to Meloni with Frontex data

Pedro Sánchez has responded to the European offensive by recalling that irregular entries recorded on the Italian route during the last five years double those registered by Spain. The president has called for respect for European treaties and has rejected that the Ceuta crisis be used to divide member states.

"Solidarity and empathy are optional. Respect for European treaties and data, no," Sánchez wrote. According to Frontex figures released by the president, between 2021 and 2026, 478,600 entries were registered through Italy compared to 234,760 through Spain. The Western Balkans accumulated 340,600 and Greece, 259,800.

"It is not a time for division. It is a time to continue building a strong and united EU," added the head of the Executive. His message was published after the Italian Government linked the massive arrival in Ceuta with Spanish migratory policy and with the extraordinary regularization approved by Moncloa.

Brussels reminds that Ceuta maintains its own controls

The European Commission has cooled the main argument used by governments that fear the displacement of migrants to other countries. The Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner, has confirmed that there are no movements from Ceuta to the Peninsula or to other Member States.

Ceuta and Melilla have a specific regime within Schengen. All people leaving the autonomous cities must pass border controls, including those traveling to Spanish peninsular territory. Brunner has stressed that these rules remain fully in force.

The President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has described the images from Ceuta as "unacceptable" and has demanded that returns to Morocco be carried out quickly. Brussels has offered additional operational support to Spain through Frontex and has called for the dismantling of the networks that promoted the dangerous crossings.

The President of the European Council, António Costa, has expressed his solidarity with Spain and has highlighted both accelerated returns and cooperation with Morocco. Costa has reminded that people arriving in Ceuta do not have free movement to the rest of Europe and has announced that he will maintain close contact with the Spanish authorities in the coming days.