Spain and Italy have agreed to lift temporary border controls introduced nearly three months ago following a mass influx of migrants into Ceuta, ending a diplomatic dispute over security and freedom of movement within Europe’s Schengen area.
The agreement was reached Thursday during a telephone conversation between Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi and his Spanish counterpart Fernando Grande-Marlaska.
Both governments agreed not to extend restrictions on air and maritime travel, allowing normal Schengen arrangements to resume.
The decision followed discussions between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on the sidelines of last week’s European Council meeting.
Italy introduced the restrictions on August 1, citing national security concerns following the arrival of thousands of migrants in Ceuta on July 30 and 31.
Spain subsequently imposed reciprocal controls on travelers arriving from Italy, challenging Rome’s justification for the measures.
The two countries said they would strengthen security information-sharing to maintain border surveillance without restricting movement within the Schengen area.
The agreement ends a dispute that had tested relations between two European Union members following the migration crisis at Morocco’s northern border.
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