EU ministers to back Spain as Ceuta crisis puts migration back on agenda

EU home affairs ministers will hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday to voice solidarity with Spain following last week's mass arrival of migrants in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, while also examining how to prevent a repeat. Madrid is expected to make the case for a common European response, but will also challenge governments that, in its view, turned the crisis into an attack on Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska will present Spain's account of the events and call for joint action. The groundwork was laid on Monday, when EU ambassadors met for around two and a half hours. Spain's envoy described the Ceuta crisis, in which more than 70 people died, and criticised some capitals for spreading disinformation. Diplomats say nearly all of the migrants who entered the enclave have returned to Morocco, and no onward movement to mainland Europe has been reported.

Madrid has singled out Italy for amplifying false claims about its regularization programme. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani suggested on social media that the programme automatically grants EU citizenship, whereas in reality it offers legal residency, not Spanish nationality.

Tensions were also stoked by a letter from 22 national leaders that was initiated by Italy and Denmark. The letter called for tighter external borders and warned against policies that could act as 'pull factors' — a phrase widely seen as a reference to Spain's plan to regularise more than one million undocumented migrants. Spain viewed the letter as an attempt to blame its government for a crisis it did not create.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen set a conciliatory tone on Monday, writing to Sánchez to praise Spain and Morocco for their handling of the situation and calling for a united response. She stressed the need for stronger controls at the EU's external borders, closer cooperation with partner countries, better early-warning systems, action against smuggling networks and more effective returns.

Tuesday's videoconference will be chaired by Ireland's Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan. Officials from Frontex, the EU Asylum Agency, Europol, the European External Action Service and Schengen-associated countries will take part. The crisis has pushed migration higher on the EU agenda, with the October European Council summit now expected to give it much more prominence. The Commission is considering new migration measures in September, including possible steps to strengthen Frontex.