Ceuta: EU calls for stronger borders after migrant crossings into Spanish territory
This article covers the same migrant crisis in Ceuta, detailing the call for stronger EU border security and the resulting diplomatic strain between Spain and other member states. It notes that EU interior ministers are scheduled to hold emergency talks to address the situation.
Why it matters
It underscores the fragility of European border agreements when faced with sudden, large-scale migration events.
Figure caption, Watch: Migrants started to return to Morocco after thousands entered Spain's Ceuta on 30 July
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called for "united action" on border security after the chaotic influx of tens of thousands of migrants from Morocco into the Spanish exclave of Ceuta last week.
Spain estimates that about 69,500 migrants have now returned to Morocco, exceeding initial estimates of 50,000. The official death toll on the Spanish side of the border stands at 72, with 11 deaths on the Moroccan side.
On Tuesday, EU interior ministers will have emergency talks by video conference to discuss the issue.
The scenes in Ceuta have strained relations among some of the EU's 27 member states.
In a letter to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, von der Leyen praised his "swift handling" of the crisis.
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