Rome, August 2: An emergency meeting of European Union (EU) interior ministers was convened on Tuesday to address the ongoing migrant crisis in Spain’s Ceuta. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized the need for unity and collective efforts among European nations to tackle illegal migration.
According to Italian news agency Adnkronos, the meeting was requested through a letter signed by 22 European countries. Italy and Denmark spearheaded this initiative, although France and Portugal, neighboring countries to Spain, did not sign the letter.
President von der Leyen received the letter from the 22 nations and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, leading her to approve an emergency video conference to assess the crisis. She reiterated that a united front is crucial for effectively managing illegal migration.
Discussing the situation in Ceuta, she noted that no migrants who arrived recently had successfully reached mainland Spain or any other EU country. Most have already been sent back to Morocco. Von der Leyen stressed the importance of strengthening border security, maintaining strict monitoring at all entry points, and enhancing coordination among various agencies. She stated that the European Commission has offered immediate assistance to Spain.
In his letter to the EU, Prime Minister Sánchez criticized the stance of certain countries regarding the Ceuta migrant crisis and called for an emergency meeting of interior ministers. This step followed Italy’s suspension of the Schengen agreement with Spain. Sánchez requested a special meeting under the Irish presidency to reiterate that the security of external borders is a shared responsibility among all member states.
Sánchez asserted that Spain has re-established control at the border, provided assistance to migrants, returned nearly all who arrived illegally, and prevented them from moving to other countries, despite receiving minimal help from Europe. Defending Spain’s migration policy, he claimed it has led to a reduction in illegal entries, making Spain the “second safest border” among the EU’s external boundaries.
He labeled the proposal to temporarily exclude Spain from the Schengen area as “selfish” and “illegitimate,” arguing that it is driven by biases or political interests. He also emphasized that Ceuta itself is not part of the Schengen area and that Spain’s border is one of the safest and least vulnerable among EU boundaries.
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