Italy, Spain lift border controls brought in after Ceuta migrant rush


FILE PHOTO: Improvised migrant center following recent mass crossings of migrants from Morocco into Ceuta, Spain, October 1, 2026. REUTERS/Pedro Nunes/File Photo

(Corrects day to ⁠Thursday in paragraph 1)

ROME, Oct 22 (Reuters) - ⁠Italy and Spain have agreed to ‌lift border controls on each other's citizens, the interior ministry in Rome said on Thursday, ending a ​three-month dispute triggered by ⁠the rush of migrants ⁠into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta.

Italy's right-wing ⁠government ‌first suspended its open-border arrangements with Spain on July 31, saying ⁠it wanted to make sure no ​migrants entering ‌Ceuta could travel on to its territory.

Madrid ⁠responded ​by taking similar action against Rome, describing the Italian measures as "unjust, contrary to European ⁠Union interests, and discriminatory to ​the population of Spain".

The Italian and Spanish interior ministers spoke on the phone and agreed ⁠not to extend their suspension of the European Union's open-border Schengen arrangements, the Italian statement said.

"The decision, reached after a ​careful assessment of the ⁠situation, will be accompanied by enhanced information-sharing measures ​to ensure the full ‌security of the common ​Schengen area," the ministry added.

(Reporting by Alvise Armellini; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

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