Schengen Under Threat: More Border Controls Across the EU
Spain and Italy have introduced controls one after another, and experts warn that the free movement of 450 million Europeans is seriously shaken.
Spain and Italy have introduced controls one after another, and experts warn that the free movement of 450 million Europeans is seriously shaken.
The Schengen Area, which allows 450 million Europeans to cross borders without checks, is facing a growing crisis of trust among member states. Ten Schengen countries are currently carrying out border controls, and the latest conflict between Spain and Italy shows how fragile the system has become, reports Finnish public broadcaster YLE.
In early August 2026, Spain introduced border controls for travelers arriving from Italy, and Italy responded in kind for travelers from Spain. The trigger was the border crisis in Ceuta. Alberto Alemanno, professor of European law at the Paris School of Business, describes the situation as something unprecedented in the history of Schengen.
"A conflict like this, where one Schengen country retaliates against another Schengen country in this way, has never existed before," Alemanno told YLE.
The background to the conflict lies in different approaches to migration. Italy accuses Spain of being too lenient and justifies its controls on security grounds. Davide Colombi, a researcher at the Brussels-based think tank CEPS, warns of the erosion of fundamental principles.
"It's as if respecting the rules is voluntary for Schengen countries," Colombi said.
The possibility of introducing temporary border controls is part of the Schengen Agreement, but they are intended for exceptional situations and serious threats. However, Germany has been continuously carrying out controls since 2015, when Europe saw a record number of asylum seekers.
Saila Heinikoski, a researcher at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, explains that controls have become a political tool rather than a necessary security measure.
"They are an easy action for decision-makers in countries to reassure their own citizens, even though in reality the controls have little significance," Heinikoski said.
Heinikoski adds that there is also a reluctance to remove the controls because doing so could send a signal outside the EU that it is now worthwhile to come to that country. In late July 2026, Finland's Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen (Finns Party) called for Spain's exclusion from the Schengen Agreement, although such an option does not legally exist. Her message, according to assessments, was primarily aimed at domestic voters.
In June 2026, a new agreement on migration and asylum came into force in EU countries, aimed at strengthening control of the Schengen external borders. It was expected that the new measures would reduce the need for internal border controls, but the crisis in Ceuta has shown the opposite. Researchers Colombi and Heinikoski believe that the end of temporary controls is not in sight.
Alemanno is particularly critical of the European Commission, which should oversee compliance with Schengen rules but has not intervened against the continuous controls. He believes the Commission should threaten legal action before the EU Court of Justice over the obvious violation of the rules.
"And this is happening perhaps at the worst time, when Russia is challenging Europe militarily, and the US economically and ideologically," Alemanno warned.
On the other hand, Jukka Snell, professor of European law at the University of Turku, takes a more lenient view of the situation. He does not consider it a dramatic violation of human rights and points out that Finland, although the police do not intervene in everything, remains a state governed by the rule of law.
"So it does not bring down the Schengen system, even though the Commission does not immediately intervene in every violation," Snell said.
Despite the problems, experts believe the Schengen system will survive. The fundamental reason for its creation was economic interests: the free movement of workers and goods brings economic benefits and makes Europe an attractive single market. That benefit still exists.
"The Schengen Area is a key and highly visible part of EU integration for people," Snell concluded.
For Croatian citizens, who have been part of Schengen since Croatia's accession to the EU, these trends could mean the return of occasional controls at borders that until recently had none, although no specific measures directly affecting Croatia are currently mentioned.
