European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called for urgent action to reinforce Europe's external borders following the mass arrival and rapid departure of tens of thousands of migrants in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, sparking a major diplomatic row between Madrid and other EU capitals.
Von der Leyen's Letter to Sánchez
In a letter to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Monday, von der Leyen stated: “From this incident, it is clear that we must do more to further strengthen our borders at critical points, including vigilant monitoring and the use of physical barriers where needed.” She praised Sánchez's swift handling of the crisis, noting that “order has been restored and the returns system in place worked.”
Spain estimates that approximately 69,500 migrants have returned to Morocco over the past four days, exceeding initial estimates of 50,000 arrivals in the enclave on Thursday. Authorities in Ceuta reported 88 deaths during attempts to reach the territory, while at least 11 deaths have been recorded in Morocco.
Ceuta and Melilla: EU's Only Land Borders with Africa
Ceuta and Melilla, Spain's two enclaves in North Africa, are the EU's only land borders with Africa. Both cities experience periodic surges in attempted crossings, but they are not part of the Schengen zone, meaning migrants cannot move freely to the EU from there.
EU interior ministers are set to hold emergency talks on Tuesday, which von der Leyen described as an opportunity to draw lessons from the crossings. She outlined five priority areas for the EU: strengthening cooperation with non-EU countries to prevent migration, reinforcing external borders, implementing early warning systems, dismantling smuggling networks, and boosting returns of individuals without the right to stay.
Divisions and Political Fallout
The crisis has exposed deep divisions among EU member states, with far-right politicians across Europe seizing on the events. Over the weekend, Sánchez criticized other governments for failing to support Spain, after Italy and Denmark led calls for its temporary exclusion from the Schengen zone. Sánchez said such attitudes were “driven by prejudice, fake news, ignorance or political interest” and contrary to European and humanitarian law.
Italy and Denmark organized a letter signed by 20 other EU member states that appeared to blame the crisis on Sánchez's decision to regularize the status of 500,000 undocumented migrants. The 22 leaders wrote: “We have a duty to effectively deter and relentlessly combat illegal migration,” arguing for the need to address “all policies that can serve as pull factors, such as the regularisation of [a] very large number of irregular migrants.”
Concerns over 'Pull Factors' and Regularisation
EU member states favoring a tough approach are expected to raise the issue of “pull factors” on Tuesday. An EU diplomat expressed concern that “the regularisation of 1.2 million people can be used to paint a picture that the door is open,” referring to the approximate number of applicants under Spain's 2026 regularisation programme. However, academic research has found no evidence of a pull effect from such programmes on irregular migration.
Michele LeVoy, director of Picum, an umbrella group advocating for undocumented migrants' rights, noted that regularisation programmes have been criticized by EU governments for two decades. She explained: “If an EU country offers regularisation possibilities, other member states believe that it may invite secondary movement – that is what EU member states don't want and that explains most likely the harsh response.”
Morocco's Role and EU Partnership
Amid widespread suspicion that Morocco helped fuel the crisis, von der Leyen described the country as “an important strategic partner,” especially in combating “illegal migration.” Officials indicated that before the Ceuta crossings, the Commission was considering upgrading the EU's relationship with Morocco to a “strategic and comprehensive partnership,” similar to agreements with Egypt and Tunisia, which include migration pledges but have drawn criticism from rights groups.
Von der Leyen wrote: “On anything related to Ceuta and Melilla, we could enhance border management early-warning systems and improve our technical and financial support to Morocco.”
Human Rights Concerns and Calls for Safe Routes
Rights groups emphasized the need for safe and legal pathways for people seeking work or fleeing persecution. LeVoy stated: “On Ceuta, political games are being played over the lives of people on both sides of the border – those who hope for a better life, and those who are made to fear a so-called 'invasion'. But what happened in and around Ceuta is fundamentally the result of Europe's inaction on decent work permits and other regular pathways and the dismantling of its asylum systems.”
Italian media reported that Giorgia Meloni's government wanted to accelerate the opening of offshore migration centres, which Europe's top human rights expert recently warned could become “human rights black holes.” The EU had already opened the door to such detention centres in June, in an unprecedented departure from legal norms, as part of a law aiming to increase deportations.
Von der Leyen stressed that Spain could access EU funds and support from the Frontex border agency, though Madrid has not yet requested Frontex assistance. The incident has highlighted the urgent need for a unified EU approach to migration, balancing security concerns with humanitarian obligations.
