The countries’ interior ministers agreed not to extend their Schengen suspensions, Italy’s Interior Ministry says, clearing the way to restore open-border travel arrangements.
Italy and Spain have agreed not to extend their suspensions of the European Union’s open-border Schengen arrangements, Italy’s Interior Ministry said on October 22, according to Al Jazeera. The decision sets out a return to the arrangements suspended during a three-month dispute, ending reciprocal border controls on each other’s citizens.
Schengen arrangements allow open-border travel between participating countries. Italy suspended its arrangements with Spain on July 31, and Spain imposed similar restrictions in response.
The dispute followed crossings by more than 70,000 people from Morocco into Ceuta, a Spanish territory in North Africa, on July 30 and 31, Al Jazeera reported. People swam around border barricades to reach the territory. Most returned to Morocco within hours, but thousands, including unaccompanied minors, remained for weeks, often in dire conditions.
Italy said it imposed the restrictions to prevent migrants entering Ceuta from travelling to Italian territory. Spain described the Italian measures as unjust, contrary to European Union interests and discriminatory against Spain’s population.
Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi and Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska agreed by phone to let the suspensions expire rather than renew them. Italy’s ministry said enhanced information sharing would accompany the change, with the stated aim of protecting security across the Schengen area. The precise expiry date and operational arrangements remain unspecified.
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