Ministry of Health drops sanitary controls to enter Spain

The sanitary controls imposed to enter Spain as a result of the coronavirus pandemic are eliminated from this Friday, also at the borders of Ceuta and Melilla, according to two orders of the Ministry of Health.

This decision has been taken, after the acute phase of the pandemic has passed and taking into account the evolution of the pandemic worldwide, as well as the high rates of immunity.

At present these health controls, which were established to prevent the spread of the virus, were limited to persons coming from countries outside the European Union or with the status of Schengen partner countries.

In this scenario, it is considered that measures limiting international mobility should be applied in compliance with the general principles of Union law, “not going beyond what is strictly necessary to safeguard public health” and should be lifted when the epidemiological situation, in particular in hospital, permits it.

Therefore, this resolution rescinds the one of 1 April 2022, concerning health controls to be carried out in Spain, by which persons arriving in Spain by air or sea from those countries may be subject to a health check at the first point of entry which shall include, at least, the taking of temperature, a documentary check and a visual check on their physical state.

Regulation (EU) 2021/953 lays down the characteristics of health certificates for vaccination, diagnostic testing and recovery in the framework of international travel, with the aim of facilitating free movement and gradually lifting restrictions, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This rule leaves it to the Member States to restrict freedom of movement on grounds of public health. Since the publication of the Regulation, EU digital COVID certificates have been required in Spain as requirements for international passengers.

In any case, a possible worsening of the pandemic could mean the reactivation of health measures in the area of international travel. For this reason, the resolution of 18 October 2022, of the General Directorate of Public Health, on health certificates in international travel during the pandemic by COVID-19 has been published.