Italy suspends Schengen agreement with Spain

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced the suspension of the Schengen agreement with Spain, calling the measure "unavoidable," after thousands of migrants crossed this week into Ceuta, the Spanish-controlled city in northern Morocco.

Tajani wrote on the X platform: "The temporary suspension of the Schengen agreement with Spain is a necessary decision to protect the security of our citizens and defend Europe's borders," according to AFP.

Italy sparked controversy by calling for Spain to be excluded from the European Schengen area after thousands of migrants crossed this week into the city of Ceuta in northern Morocco.

The Schengen area is one of the most prominent tangible achievements of the European Union. It is an area for unrestricted travel between countries that have abolished checks on travelers.

The creation of this area began gradually in 1985. Border checks were abolished for the first time in 1995 between Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain, and Portugal.

Today, the area includes 29 countries, including European Union member states, with the exception of Cyprus and Ireland, in addition to Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.

In practice, EU citizens and those arriving from outside it can move and travel freely within the Schengen area without undergoing border checks when moving from one country to another within the area.