Emergency EU Ministers Meeting on Ceuta? EC Chief Speaks Out

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen responded to Spain’s appeal for an emergency meeting of EU interior ministers following the recent migration crisis in Ceuta.

EC President Responds to Spain’s Appeal

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen addressed the migration crisis in Ceuta by responding to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s appeal to convene an extraordinary meeting of EU interior ministers. On X, she stated that she received letters from several leaders and welcomed the call for an emergency videoconference to review the events, emphasizing that tackling illegal migration requires solidarity and a joint European response.

EU Action and Delegation Briefing

Von der Leyen also shared on X that she held a teleconference with Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner and Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Suica, whom she delegated to handle the Ceuta situation, to discuss developments in the Spanish exclave.

Border Protection and Return of Migrants

She reported that the “vast majority” of individuals who illegally entered Ceuta have already returned to Morocco thanks to cooperation between Spanish and Moroccan services, stressing that not a single person reached mainland Spain or other EU member states. The politician declared that the events in Ceuta demonstrated the importance of effective external EU border protection, noting that the current system functions well but requires further reinforcement, while urging vigilance at all key entry points and close coordination of relevant services.

Lessons Learned and Spanish Prime Minister’s Letter

Von der Leyen pointed out that lessons must be learned from the current crisis to increase EU resilience against similar situations in the future, highlighting that the European Commission has offered support to Spain from the beginning. On Saturday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez sent a letter to von der Leyen, European Council President Antonio Costa, and Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin—whose country holds the presidency of the EU Council—demanding an urgent meeting of ministers and accusing some member states of a lack of solidarity with Spain.

Migration Influx in the North African Exclave

In recent days, nearly 60,000 migrants from Morocco entered Ceuta, the Spanish exclave in North Africa, in an uncontrolled manner, though the Spanish interior ministry reported on Friday evening that the vast majority of these migrants had already returned to Morocco.