Italy and Spain Agree to Lift Border Controls on Each Other's Citizens, Ending Three-Month Ceuta Dispute
MADRID — Italy and Spain have agreed to lift border controls on each other's citizens, ending a three-month dispute triggered by migrant arrivals in Ceuta, Reuters reported on October 22, citing a statement by Italy's interior ministry. The decision followed a call between the two countries' interior ministers.
Italy first suspended the open-border Schengen arrangements with Spain on July 31, and Spain retaliated, straining relations. The dispute stemmed from large numbers of migrants reaching Ceuta, Spain's North African enclave, and Italian concerns about onward movement into the rest of Europe.
The two countries decided not to extend the suspension and agreed to strengthen information sharing on migration matters. The reimposition and lifting of internal Schengen border controls remain a recurring focus of Europe's migration policy debate.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 马德里西贝莱斯广场 / Plaza de Cibeles, Madrid。图片：© Ank Kumar / CC BY-SA 4.0，Wikimedia Commons
