BRUSSELS, Belgium: An EU Ceuta crisis meeting will bring interior ministers together on August 4, following 22 leaders’ demand for a coordinated response to the migrant influx into Spain’s North African exclave.
Ireland, which holds the rotating EU Council presidency, will convene the informal videoconference. The EU Council’s official agenda said ministers would address current developments in Ceuta.
Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin announced the meeting after leaders of 22 EU countries called for urgent talks. Their letter sought a common assessment and unified European response.
More than 50,000 migrants crossed into Ceuta from Morocco on July 30. Spain later said almost all had returned, although local officials reported that several thousand remained.
Spain also confirmed at least 67 deaths during the crossing attempts, The Guardian reported.
Read: Danny Danon’s Remarks on Ceuta Disavowed by Israel
Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said none of the migrants reached mainland Spain or another EU country.
The 22 leaders warned that uncontrolled crossings could encourage further attempts. They also proposed considering temporary internal border controls, according to Euronews.
The letter described Spain’s migrant regularisation policy as a possible “pull factor.” However, Madrid rejected that claim and blamed trafficking networks and a recent court ruling.
Read: Spain’s PM Visits Ceuta After 34 Migrants Die Breaching Border from Morocco
Separately, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez accused some EU governments of an “asymmetric” response. He said most members supported Spain, while others sought its temporary exclusion from the Schengen Area.
