Italy makes reopening the Schengen Area conditional on the situation in Ceuta, which it still considers "very worrying".

Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani announced on Monday, August 17, that the Italian government is closely evaluating the reopening of the Schengen space with Spain. Tajani stated that the decision will directly depend on the evolution of the migration situation in Ceuta, which he described as still 'very preocupante' (very concerning).

The conditional reopening links Spain's border policies and regional migration flows directly to the suspension or restoration of free movement agreements within the Schengen zone, as monitored by Rome.