BRUSSELS, The European Union will convene an emergency meeting of interior ministers on Tuesday following the unprecedented migration crisis in Ceuta, Spain’s North African enclave, where more than 50,000 migrants crossed the border in recent days.
The decision was unanimously approved during a meeting of EU member states’ representatives and Frontex border agency experts on Saturday, as European leaders seek a coordinated response to one of the bloc’s largest recent migration emergencies.
Spanish authorities confirmed that at least 67 migrants died during the mass crossing attempt.
According to officials, some victims drowned while trying to swim into Ceuta, while others lost their lives in a stampede near the border’s breakwater barrier.
In response, Spain has installed a 500-meter floating sea barrier along the maritime border with Morocco to prevent further illegal crossings.
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Spanish officials reported that no new large-scale migrant crossings occurred overnight after additional security measures were deployed.
Authorities stated that police and military personnel remain stationed around Ceuta to prevent any renewed attempts to breach the frontier.
The migration crisis has exposed divisions among European governments over border management and migration policy.
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During Saturday’s discussions, Italy and Denmark, with support from Poland and Sweden, criticized Spain’s handling of the crisis.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez rejected the criticism in a strongly worded letter, accusing some politicians of spreading misinformation and fake news.
He stressed that nearly all migrants who entered Ceuta had already been returned to Morocco after the Spanish army restored order.
Officials also discussed reports of possible Russian disinformation campaigns aimed at deepening divisions among European Union member states during the crisis.
Spanish officials argued that previous migration incidents on the Poland-Belarus border were widely described as “hybrid attacks” and received strong European solidarity, while Spain’s response had faced criticism instead.
Ceuta regional president Juan Jesús Vivas said the city had not yet returned to normal despite thousands of migrants voluntarily returning to Morocco.
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He noted that several thousand people remained in the territory awaiting repatriation and urged Spain to maintain all security measures until the situation is fully stabilized.
Prime Minister Sánchez requested the emergency ministerial meeting in an effort to restore unity within the European Union over migration policy.
The meeting is expected to focus on:
- Strengthening protection of the EU’s external borders.
- Improving coordination among member states.
- Preventing future mass migration incidents.
- Reviewing common migration and Schengen policies.
The outcome of Tuesday’s meeting is expected to shape the European Union’s next steps in addressing border security and migration management.
