- Italy and Spain have agreed to end their border checks.
- The checks began after a migration surge into Ceuta.
- Spain imposed reciprocal checks on arrivals from Italy.
- Both countries agreed to wind down the dispute after an EU summit.
- The dispute began in late July 2026 after 72,000 to 80,000 migrants arrived in Ceuta.
Italy and Spain have agreed to end their border checks. The two countries reached an agreement on October 22, 2026, to scrap the temporary air and maritime border controls that were put in place following the migration crisis in Ceuta. Spain’s checks ended on October 22, and Italy’s last day of checks was October 23, 2026, with normal Schengen free-movement rules fully restored starting October 24, 2026
Italy originally suspended parts of the Schengen Agreement for air and sea arrivals from Spain after a migration surge into the Spanish North African enclave of Ceuta. Spain responded by imposing its own random checks on passengers arriving from Italy. Following a recent EU summit in Brussels, both leaders agreed to wind down the dispute, with Italy’s short extension set to expire at the same time as Spain’s controls.
The dispute began in late July 2026 after approximately 72,000 to 80,000 migrants arrived from Morocco into Ceuta. Italy unilaterally imposed checks on flights and ferries arriving from Spain. Spain responded in kind on 8 August 2026. Because Italy and Spain do not share a land border, the random maritime and airport checks were deemed highly unusual and sparked a two-month diplomatic feud.
