Italy refuses Spain’s ultimatum and extends border checks until 15 August
Rome says it will keep identity checks on travellers from Spain until 15 August and rejects Madrid’s demand to lift them by Sunday, 9 August 2026.
Italy announced on 7 August 2026 that it will keep identity checks at points of entry for travellers arriving from Spain at least until 15 August 2026, saying the controls are necessary because of security risks. ([uk.news.yahoo.com](https://uk.news.yahoo.com/spain-threatens-retaliation-italy-border-132441670.html))
Madrid had given Rome until Sunday, 9 August 2026, to lift the restrictions and warned it would adopt reciprocal measures for passengers from Italy if the checks remain in place. The Spanish government described Italy’s reintroduction of checks as unjustified and discriminatory. ([uk.news.yahoo.com](https://uk.news.yahoo.com/spain-threatens-retaliation-italy-border-132441670.html))
The Italian statement stressed it will not yield to what it called "ultimatums or impositions" and that the government will only reverse the measure when it is certain there are no security or terrorist threats, no fresh wave of irregular migration and no illegal movements toward European territory. ([politico.eu](https://www.politico.eu/article/spain-retaliation-italy-border-controls-travelers-ceuta-migrants/))
The row has sharpened tensions between Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Spanish Socialist leader Pedro Sánchez. Meloni has positioned herself as an advocate of stricter migration controls, while Sánchez has defended a more liberal approach and recently backed regularisation measures for undocumented migrants. ([infobae.com](https://www.infobae.com/espana/2026/08/07/meloni-responde-a-espana-italia-no-acepta-ultimatums-y-mantiene-los-controles-fronterizos-hasta-el-15-de-agosto/))
The stand-off follows last week’s mass arrivals of people into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from Morocco, which prompted Italy’s interior ministry to reinstate checks under an emergency clause of the Schengen Borders Code. Rome initially activated document controls on flights and ferries from Spain at the end of July. ([rte.ie](https://www.rte.ie/news/europe/2026/0731/1585954-ceuta-migrants/))
Photo: press material from the event
