European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called for united action on border security following the chaotic surge of migrants who crossed from Morocco into the Spanish exclave of Ceuta last week.
Spain now estimates that roughly 69,500 migrants have returned to Morocco, a figure exceeding initial estimates of 50,000. The confirmed death toll stands at 72 on the Spanish side of the border, with 11 additional deaths recorded on the Moroccan side. EU interior ministers held emergency talks by video conference on Tuesday to address the crisis, which has strained relations among several of the bloc’s 27 member states.
In a letter to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, von der Leyen praised his swift handling of the situation, while stressing that the episode makes clear the EU must do more to strengthen its borders at critical points.
In the wake of the crossings, Italy temporarily suspended its Schengen arrangement with Spain, a system that eliminates internal border checks and now covers more than 450 million people across 29 European countries. Finland and Denmark backed Italy’s decision, while Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš went further, urging a temporary suspension of Spain’s Schengen membership altogether.
Read more about this topic: Spain says 70,000 of 72,000 migrants who entered Ceuta have already returned to Morocco. Here’s what happens to the roughly 2,000 who haven’t (with video)
Sánchez responded by voicing serious concerns about the stance taken by some European governments, noting that Ceuta itself is not part of the Schengen area. While he said most countries had shown support and solidarity, he accused others of choosing instead to attack Spain, driven, in his words, by prejudice, misinformation, ignorance or political self-interest.
In her letter, von der Leyen warned that protecting all of Europe’s external borders remains a shared European responsibility, calling for vigilant monitoring and the use of physical barriers where necessary. She said Tuesday’s video conference would offer an opportunity to draw lessons from the Ceuta episode, warning that the challenges posed by illegal immigration demand a common European response built on unity and solidarity.
She urged the EU to double down across five areas: preventing irregular migration at its source through cooperation with partner countries, strengthening external borders, implementing early warning systems, dismantling smuggling networks, and reinforcing the return of migrants who enter illegally.
Sánchez has accused migrant trafficking networks of exploiting a recent ruling by Spain’s Supreme Court that limited the government’s ability to immediately deport people who arrive by sea. Spain’s Interior Minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, said Saturday that the situation had largely returned to normal, adding that the country is working on installing an inflatable barrier to help prevent further illegal crossings by water.
