The Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, has communicated this Saturday to various institutions of the European Union (EU) the decision of the Government to reintroduce border controls at airports and ports with direct links between the Kingdom of Spain and the Italian Republic, according to what the Ministry has stated in a statement.
The notification has been addressed to the Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, Henna Virkkunen; to the European Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner; to the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, and to the Secretary-General of the Council of Ministers of Interior of the Member States of the European Union and of the States associated with Schengen, Thérèse Blanchet.
In the letter, Grande-Marlaska details that the Spanish authorities are closely monitoring the evolution of the migratory situation in the Schengen area and, specifically, the migratory pressure on the central Mediterranean route that affects the Italian Republic and its consequences on several Member States due to the actions of transnational crime networks linked to irregular migration.
Given the possible implications of this scenario for public order and internal security, Spain has opted to temporarily restore controls at certain internal borders, in accordance with Articles 25 and following of Regulation (EU) 2016/399 of the European Parliament and of the Council, of March 9, 2016, which regulates the so-called Schengen Borders Code.
In the communication, Grande-Marlaska specifies that, in accordance with Article 27 of the aforementioned Regulation, the temporary reintroduction of border controls will affect air and maritime connections between the Kingdom of Spain and the Italian Republic from 00:00 hours on August 8 until 00:00 hours on September 7.
This period may be modified depending on how the circumstances that motivate the measure evolve and, once it concludes, the Spanish authorities will carry out a new assessment of the situation to determine whether it is appropriate to maintain it, adjust it, or lift it, concludes the minister.