Italy has extended air and sea border checks with fellow EU member Spain for another 15 days amid a dispute over migration, the Interior Ministry in Rome said on Monday.
The measure was introduced a month ago by the right-wing government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni following the arrival of thousands of migrants in Ceuta, Spain's North African exclave.
The ministry said the circumstances that had prompted the introduction of border controls on August 1 remained in place.
Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi informed his Spanish counterpart Fernando Grande-Marlaska of the extension during a "constructive telephone conversation," the ministry said.
Italy's return to border checks, reminiscent of the period before Europe's passport-free Schengen system, prompted Spain to respond a week later by introducing its own checks on travellers arriving from Italy at ports and airports.
The Spanish measures are currently due to remain in force until September 7. It is not yet clear whether Madrid will also extend them.
Rome argued when introducing the controls that Italy's borders needed to be protected because of the large number of migrants arriving in Ceuta.
However, there were no indications that any of the migrants who arrived in Ceuta had attempted to travel to Italy. They were not even permitted to travel to mainland Spain.
Critics accused Meloni of using the border controls to make a political statement at home, as her government faces growing pressure from the new far-right National Future party.