Italy has decided to extend the border controls for another 15 days for travelers coming from Spain implemented due to the Ceuta crisis. This is the second extension of an exceptional measure within the Schengen area that Rome justifies for security reasons and that the Spanish Government has unsuccessfully requested to be lifted.
The decision has been adopted by the Italian Minister of the Interior, Matteo Piantedosi, after a meeting of the Immigration and Border Security Analysis Committee. Giorgia Meloni's Executive has communicated the new extension to both the European Commission and the rest of the community countries.
Italy thus maintains the controls that it initially introduced since August 1, immediately after the mass entries recorded in Ceuta on July 30 and 31, and which it later decided to prolong.
Italy cites risks to its internal security
The Italian Ministry of the Interior argues that the checks carried out by the specialized committee justify temporarily maintaining the controls.
"The measure was deemed necessary after the checks carried out by the Immigration and Border Security Analysis Committee," the Piantedosi department has stated.
Rome assures that "high levels of risk for internal security still exist" and adds that there is a "possible danger related to potential terrorist infiltrations."
The controls affect travelers arriving from Spain through ports and airports and are conducted randomly. They represent a temporary reintroduction of controls at the internal borders of the Schengen area.
More than 180,000 travelers controlled
Italy has already assessed the measure as it reached its first month of implementation. According to data released by the Italian authorities on August 31, more than 180,000 travelers from Spain had been subjected to controls.
As a result of those checks, the Italian authorities had denied entry to 31 people, including eight Moroccan citizens, and detained another six.
Meloni's Government has linked the decision from the beginning to a matter of "national security" arising from the Ceuta migration crisis.
Spain unsuccessfully requested to lift the controls
The Italian decision has caused friction with Pedro Sánchez's Government. Spain demanded that Rome lift the restrictions, but the Italian authorities maintained the measures.
Madrid initially responded with an equivalent measure and temporarily reinstated controls for travelers coming from Italy, a decision that was maintained until September 7.
The new Italian extension now prolongs an exceptional situation that began more than a month ago and keeps the consequences of the Ceuta crisis within the European free movement area.