European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called for stronger EU borders following the recent crisis in Ceuta, where tens of thousands of migrants arrived and quickly left the Spanish territory. In a letter to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, von der Leyen stated that the incident highlights the need for further strengthening of Europe’s borders at critical points, including vigilant monitoring and the use of physical barriers where needed. Von der Leyen praised Sánchez’s swift handling of the crisis, after the majority of migrants left Ceuta and Spanish officials began installing a 500-meter floating barrier at the border with Morocco.
She noted that order has been restored and the returns system in place worked. The European Commission president also emphasized the importance of cooperation with non-EU countries to prevent migration and stronger external borders. The crisis in Ceuta has exposed deep divisions over migration within the EU, with some member states criticizing Spain’s handling of the situation.
Italy and Denmark led calls for Spain’s temporary exclusion from the Schengen zone, while others have accused Morocco of helping to fuel the crisis. Rights groups have criticized the EU’s response to the crisis, arguing that people seeking work or fleeing persecution need safe routes to move. They have also accused EU governments of playing political games over the lives of people on both sides of the border.
The crisis has resulted in the deaths of at least 88 people, with many more reported missing. The EU is set to hold an emergency meeting of interior ministers to address the crisis, with von der Leyen stressing the need for solidarity among member states. The meeting will be a chance to draw lessons from the incident and discuss various aspects of migration policy, including strengthening cooperation with non-EU countries to prevent migration; stronger external borders; implementing early warning systems; dismantling smuggling networks; and boosting returns of people with no right to stay.
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. Spain estimates that about 69,500 migrants have returned to Morocco over the past four days, exceeding initial estimates of 50,000 having arrived in the enclave in north Africa on Thursday. Authorities in Ceuta reported that 88 people died trying to reach the territory, while at least 11 deaths have been recorded in Morocco.
The crossings have exposed deep divisions over migration that have left Spain’s leader isolated. Over the weekend, Sánchez criticised other governments for failing to support Spain, after Italy and Denmark led calls for its temporary exclusion from the Schengen zone. Sánchez said such an attitude was driven by prejudice, fake news, ignorance or political interest and contrary to European and humanitarian law and the principles of solidarity that bind us together.
Italy and Denmark organised a letter signed by 20 other EU member states that appeared to blame the crisis on Sánchez’s decision to regularise the status of 500,000 migrants without documents. We have a duty to effectively deter and relentlessly combat illegal migration, the 22 leaders wrote, 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. EU member states favouring a tough approach to migration are expected to raise the issue of pull factors on Tuesday.
There is some concern that the regularisation of 1.2 million people can be used to paint a picture that the door is open, an EU diplomat said, referring to the approximate number of people who applied for regularisation under the 2026 Spanish government programme. Academic research has found no evidence of a pull effect from regularisation programmes on arrivals of irregular migrants. Michele LeVoy, the director of Picum, an umbrella group that campaigns for the rights of undocumented migrants, said regularisation programmes had been criticised by EU governments for the last two decades.
If an EU country offers regularisation possibilities, other member states believe that it may invite secondary movement onward movement to other EU member states that is what EU member states don’t want and that explains most likely the harsh response. 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 said that before the Ceuta crossings, the European Commission was looking to upgrade the EU’s diplomatic relationship with Morocco to a strategic and comprehensive partnership.
The EU already has similar wide-ranging agreements with Egypt and Tunisia, which include pledges to stem migration, but which have been heavily criticised by 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. Rights groups said people seeking work or fleeing persecution needed routes to move safely.
LeVoy said: 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.
