Leaders from 22 of the European Union’s 27 member states issued an open letter on Saturday demanding an urgent video conference of EU interior ministers to address the escalating migration crisis in Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta. More than 50,000 migrants have crossed into the tiny territory from Morocco this week, overwhelming local authorities and killing at least 67 people in the process.
Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin, whose country currently holds the EU Council presidency, confirmed that the Justice and Home Affairs Council would convene on Tuesday for emergency discussions. “As Presidency holders, Ireland will convene a meeting on Tuesday of the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council to discuss developments in Ceuta,” Martin wrote on social media.
The crisis has exposed deep fractures within the bloc. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez launched a blistering attack on fellow EU members, calling their response “selfish, polarising and unlawful.” Sánchez pointed out that, according to Frontex data, Spain operates one of the EU’s least porous external borders, with irregular entries roughly half those recorded in Italy over the past five years.
Italy’s government under Giorgia Meloni had earlier threatened to suspend its open-border Schengen agreement with Spain over the crisis, despite the two countries not sharing a border. Western intelligence officials suspect that Morocco may have facilitated the mass crossing, though Rabat has not confirmed any such involvement. Spanish authorities deployed Guardia Civil boats to install barriers at the border crossing.
Juan Jesus Vivas, the head of Ceuta’s regional government, had called on Madrid to declare a national security emergency and deploy the army to guarantee the inviolability of the frontier. The death toll from drowning, stampedes and exposure has climbed steadily since the crisis began in late July, with rescue operations continuing in the Mediterranean and around the rocky coastline of the enclave.
The open letter from the 22 leaders urged ministers to agree on a “speedy coordinated response” and measures to “prevent further uncontrolled crossings.” The signatories represent an overwhelming majority of the bloc, leaving only five member states outside the coalition demanding action.
The crisis is expected to dominate EU political discourse for weeks ahead, with implications for the bloc’s migration pact, Frontex operations in North Africa, and the broader Schengen free-movement zone. Spain has framed the crisis as a European problem requiring a collective solution, while critics in northern and eastern Europe have questioned the adequacy of Spain’s border management.
Sources:
The Guardian
Euronews
BBC News
CNN
Author: Europe Desk
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