AdvertisementAnalysis WorldEuropeRefugees ‘A torpedo’: Italy-Spain border blow-up now a major headache for Europe – and Australian travellers David Crowe August 8, 2026 — 11:38am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Spain has called on Italy to lift border controls that it imposed last week following a rush of migrants into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. The result is the rapid imposition of passport checks on many travellers moving directly between the two countries – something not seen in decades. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares described the Italian border policy as “a torpedo fired at the hull of European unity”. So, officials will conduct passport, nationality and visa checks for Italian passengers and visitors from other countries arriving from Italy.