EU commends Spain's 'swift response' to Ceuta migrant crisis
The European Union has praised Spain's response to a major migrant crisis in Ceuta, where 72,000 people crossed the border. Despite internal tensions and criticism from countries like Italy, the bloc is calling for a unified approach to migration.
Why it matters
The crisis highlights the ongoing strain on the Schengen zone and the difficulty of maintaining a cohesive EU migration policy.
Image source, Europa Press via Getty Images Image caption, Hundreds of migrants were pictured lined up on a beach in Ceuta to collect aid on Tuesday
The European Union has praised Spain's "swift response" to the migrant crisis in Ceuta, following a meeting of the bloc's interior ministers on Tuesday.
Around 72,000 migrants crossed into the Spanish territory in North Africa between 30 and 31 July, Spain's Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said. He added that an estimated 70,000 have since been returned to Morocco.
At least 75 people died on the Spanish side of the border, while 11 deaths were reported in Morocco.
Irish Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan, who chaired Tuesday's meeting, said the EU stood in solidarity with Spain and that migration required "a united European response".
The meeting had been expected to draw some tension, following earlier criticism of Spain from several EU nations.
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