EU calls for stronger borders after Ceuta migrant crossings
Ursula von der Leyen has called for action ahead of an urgent EU interior ministers meeting to discuss the issue.
Following the chaotic entry of thousands of migrants from Morocco into Spain's Ceuta last week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called for "united action" on border security.
Spain estimates that approximately 69,500 migrants have now gone back to Morocco, surpassing initial projections of 50,000. The official death toll stands at 72 on the Spanish side of the border and 11 on the Moroccan side.
On Tuesday, EU interior ministers are scheduled to hold emergency video conference talks to address the situation.
The events in Ceuta have strained relationships among some of the EU's 27 member states.
In a letter to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, von der Leyen commended his "swift handling" of the crisis. However, she added, "From this incident, it is clear that we must do more to further strengthen our borders at critical points."
In response to the Ceuta crossings, Italy temporarily suspended the Schengen arrangement with Spain. The Schengen agreement eliminates border checks and currently includes over 450 million people and 29 European countries. Finland and Denmark supported Italy's decision, while Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš advocated for a temporary suspension of Spain's Schengen membership.
In response, Sánchez expressed "serious concerns" about some European governments and highlighted that Ceuta is not part of the Schengen area. While most had shown "support and solidarity," he stated that other European governments had chosen to attack Spain, "driven by prejudice, fake news, ignorance, or political interest."
In her letter to the Spanish Prime Minister, von der Leyen warned that "the protection of all our external borders is a shared European responsibility," and called for "vigilant monitoring and the use of physical barriers where needed."
Von der Leyen stated that Tuesday's video conference will be an opportunity to draw "lessons" from the Ceuta episode, cautioning that the challenges of illegal immigration require "a common European response, united action and solidarity." She urged the EU to "double down" in five areas: preventing irregular migration in the first place through cooperation with partner states; strengthening external borders; implementing early warning systems; dismantling smuggling networks; and reinforcing returns.
Sánchez has accused migrant traffickers of exploiting a recent decision by the country's supreme court that limited the government's right to immediately deport people who had arrived by sea.
On Saturday, the country's Interior Minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, stated that the situation had almost returned to normal and that the country was working on an inflatable barrier to prevent illegal migration via the water.