Italy suspends Schengen with Spain for one month, border checks to resume

Italy is set to temporarily suspend its participation in the Schengen agreement with Spain for one month, beginning August 1. This decision will lead to the reintroduction of border checks at Italian ports and airports.

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The checks will be 'targeted,' 'selective.'

The primary aim of these renewed controls is to scrutinize third-country nationals arriving from Spain. Border police will verify if these individuals possess the necessary documentation for circulation within the Schengen area. Officials at the Interior Ministry indicated that the checks will be "targeted" and "selective."

Despite the suspension, the Italian government assures that travel for Spanish and European Union citizens to Italy will remain unaffected, with no additional bureaucratic hurdles. Similarly, travel from Italy to Spain will not see any changes. However, the practicalities of separating EU and non-EU travelers arriving from Spain at Italian borders remain unclear, as do the potential impacts on waiting times during the peak summer travel season.

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The reinstatement of controls will not involve any changes for Spanish and European citizens traveling to Italy, who can continue to arrive in our country without any bureaucratic burden.

The decision to suspend the Schengen treaty was reportedly made following recent intelligence assessments analyzed by the Committee for Immigration and Border Security. Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi discussed the matter with his French counterpart, Laurent Nuñez, and both agreed on the need to strengthen controls along their shared land border.

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it was shared the opportunity of strengthening controls along the land border between the two countries within the framework of collaboration agreements between police forces already previously signed between France and Italy.