The Spanish Government has begun rolling out border checks on everyone arriving from Italy.
Normally, most citizens in the European Union (EU) are able to move freely between the two countries.
Now, visitors from Italy entering Spain will be required to show ID, so police can confirm their nationality before they’re allowed through.
The move comes in retaliation to similar checks implemented by the Italian Government earlier this month, following a large-scale border breach in the Spanish territory of Ceuta.
Here’s how we got here.
Ceuta
Ceuta is a small autonomous Spanish territory on the coast of North Africa.
Ceuta shares a land border with Morocco, but is legally part of the EU, meaning it has long been a place where people try to enter Europe without a visa.
Many migrants who reach Ceuta are immediately turned back, but some stay in shelters to apply for asylum.
In late July, tens of thousands of migrants crossed from Morocco into Ceuta in the space of two days.
Some estimates put it as high as 80,000 people.
The rush of migrants came after a Supreme Court ruling effectively made it easier to seek asylum in Spain.
The ruling prevents authorities from immediately sending migrants stopped at sea back to Morocco.
Many swam or waded across.
Others climbed the border fence.
A social media campaign had urged people to gather and cross together.
Ceuta’s president Juan Jesús Vivas called the situation a “humanitarian and social emergency.”
At least 100 migrants and asylum seekers died trying to reach Ceuta.
Spain deployed its army to help police the border.
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Most of those who crossed were sent back to Morocco within days, but thousands remained, including at least 1,100 children, many unaccompanied.
Initial response
Following the mass border breach in Ceuta, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced Italy would suspend Schengen free movement with Spain, reintroducing border checks.
The Schengen area is a travel zone across 29 European countries where there are no passport and border controls, allowing people to move freely.
Italy and Spain are both members of this agreement.
From 1 August, Italy required non-EU nationals arriving from Spain to face border checks.
Spanish and other EU citizens were exempt.
Meloni called it “an extraordinary measure adopted to protect national security and prevent possible repercussions for our country.”
The Spanish Government called Italy’s checks “unjust, contrary to the interests of the European Union, and discriminatory towards the Spanish population.”
It also noted that Ceuta operates under special Schengen rules, meaning none of the migrants who entered could travel freely into mainland Europe.
Latest response
On 7 August, Spain gave Italy two days to remove its checks and “treat Spaniards like other European citizens,” warning of “proportionate measures” otherwise.
Italy refused, with the Government saying it “does not accept ultimatums or impositions” and would keep its checks in place, only lifting them once it was certain there was no ongoing security or migration risk.
After the deadline lapsed on Saturday night, local media began reporting that Spanish authorities had started checking ID from Italian visitors.
On the first day, Spanish police checked around 200 people across the country’s six biggest airports.
Italy’s checks only applied to non-EU travellers from Spain.
Spain’s checks are random and apply to everyone coming from Italy, including Italian and other EU citizens.
Italy says it will review its checks around 15 August.
Spain’s checks are due to lift on 7 September, “unless circumstances change.”
