European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has urged European countries to work together after a large number of migrants crossed into the Spanish territory of Ceuta from Morocco.
The migrant surge happened last week and created pressure on Spanish authorities. Spain now says around 69,500 migrants have returned to Morocco. That is much higher than the earlier estimate of 50,000 people. Officials also reported 72 deaths on the Spanish side of the border and another 11 deaths in Morocco.
EU interior ministers are due to hold an emergency video meeting on Tuesday. They will discuss what happened in Ceuta and consider ways to improve border security across Europe. The crisis has also exposed differences between European governments. Some countries supported Spain, while others criticised its handling of the situation.
In a letter to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, von der Leyen thanked him for responding quickly to the emergency. However, she said the incident showed that Europe must improve protection at important border crossings.
The migration crisis also affected travel rules within Europe. Italy temporarily stopped applying the Schengen Agreement with Spain. Finland and Denmark supported Italy’s decision. Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš also urged a temporary suspension of Spain’s membership in the Schengen system.
The Schengen agreement allows people to travel across much of Europe without routine border checks. It covers well over 450 million people living in 29 European countries.
Sánchez rejected the criticism from some European leaders. He said Ceuta is not part of the Schengen area. He added that many governments had shown support, but others had spread misinformation or acted for political reasons instead of showing solidarity.
Von der Leyen stressed that protecting the EU’s external borders is a shared responsibility. She said countries should closely monitor vulnerable border areas and use physical barriers when necessary.
She also said the emergency meeting should help European leaders learn from the Ceuta crisis. According to her, illegal migration She stated that no single country can manage illegal migration alone. by one country alone. She called for a united European approach based on cooperation and shared responsibility.
The European Commission president outlined five priorities. These include working with partner countries to reduce irregular migration, improving border security, creating better early warning systems, breaking up migrant smuggling gangs and increasing the return of people who are not entitled to remain in Europe.
Meanwhile, Sánchez blamed migrant traffickers for taking advantage of a recent Supreme Court ruling that limited the government’s ability to immediately deport migrants arriving by sea. Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said the situation was now mostly under control. He also confirmed that Spain is developing an inflatable sea barrier to help stop illegal crossings.
