Italy and Spain agree to lift border checks, ending migration dispute

 ROME -- Italy and Spain have agreed to lift temporary border controsl on air and sea travel between the two countries, apparently bringing to a close a bitter diplomatic dispute triggered by the mass migrant crossing into Ceuta, a Spanish North African enclave in late July, the Italian Interior Ministry said Thursday.

  Tens of thousands of migrants crossed from Morocco into the Spanish enclave in late July, prompting concerns across Europe over migration and border security. On Aug. 1, 2026 the government of Italian prime Minister Giorgia Meloni implemented temporary border checks for passengers arrivng from Spain by air and sea.

 Rome cited security concerns including the possibility of the migrants traveling onwards to Italy. In retaliation Spain implemented similar checks on arrivals coming from Italy.

  The agreement followed a phone call between the Italian Interior minister Matteo Pianntedosi and his Spanish counterpart Matteo Grande-Marlaska, after talks between Meloni and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

 Following the conversation the governments agreed not to extend the controls and to strenghten information sharing to ensure security in the Schenghen area, the Italian interior ministry said in a statement.

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