Rome and Madrid prolong Schengen controls introduced over Ceuta migrant crisis.Italy has extended border checks with Spain for a further two weeks, prolonging a suspension of the Schengen free-movement agreement first introduced on 1 August over the migrant crisis in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta.The interior ministry said on Monday the checks on air and sea arrivals from Spain would now remain in place until 15 September, with formal notification of the decision being sent to the European Commission. The extension follows an assessment by Italy's immigration and border security analysis committee, which found that the conditions behind the original measure still applied. At the same time, the ministry acknowledged efforts by Spain and the EU to work towards normalising the situation in Ceuta. Interior minister Matteo Piantedosi discussed the decision with his Spanish counterpart, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, in what the ministry described as a "constructive" phone call. Speaking in Naples, Piantedosi said the extension had been "necessary" but limited to 15 days in recognition of the efforts Spain and the EU were making to resolve the situation. He noted the measure had not been particularly invasive and had allowed normal travel to continue for EU citizens. Spain responded in kind, extending its own reciprocal checks on travellers arriving from Italy by sea or air until 21 September. Madrid had introduced the measure on 8 August after Rome refused an earlier request to lift its restrictions. Tensions between the two governments have simmered since the crisis erupted in late July, when tens of thousands of migrants attempted to cross into Ceuta from Morocco. Spanish foreign minister José Manuel Albares last week again accused Rome of a "lack of solidarity" and of exploiting the crisis for political gain, while prime minister Pedro Sánchez has blamed disinformation, which he said was amplified by Russia and Israel, for fuelling the crossings. Both sets of border checks amount to police controls rather than full closures, and neither government has indicated a firm date for lifting them. Photo credit: elesi / Shutterstock.com

Italy has extended border checks with Spain for a further two weeks, prolonging a suspension of the Schengen free-movement agreement first  over the migrant crisis in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. The interior ministry  the checks on air and sea arrivals from Spain would now remain in place until 15 September, with formal notification of the decision being sent to the European Commission. The extension follows an assessment by Italy's immigration and border security analysis committee, which found that the conditions behind the original measure still applied. At the same time, the ministry acknowledged efforts by Spain and the EU to work towards normalising the situation in Ceuta. Interior minister Matteo Piantedosi discussed the decision with his Spanish counterpart, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, in what the ministry described as a "constructive" phone call. Speaking in Naples, Piantedosi said the extension had been "necessary" but limited to 15 days in recognition of the efforts Spain and the EU were making to resolve the situation. He noted the measure had not been particularly invasive and had allowed normal travel to continue for EU citizens. Spain responded in kind, extending its own  on travellers arriving from Italy by sea or air until 21 September. Madrid had introduced the measure on 8 August after Rome refused an earlier request to lift its restrictions. Tensions between the two governments have simmered since the crisis erupted in late July, when tens of thousands of migrants attempted to cross into Ceuta from Morocco. Spanish foreign minister José Manuel Albares last week again accused Rome of a "lack of solidarity" and of exploiting the crisis for political gain, while prime minister Pedro Sánchez has blamed disinformation, which he said was amplified by Russia and Israel, for fuelling the crossings. Both sets of border checks amount to police controls rather than full closures, and neither government has indicated a firm date for lifting them. Photo credit: elesi / Shutterstock.com