European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has issued a formal call for "united action" regarding border security in the wake of a significant migrant rush at the Spanish North African enclave of Ceuta. The incident, which saw tens of thousands of people stream into the territory before most eventually departed, has triggered a public spat among European Union member states.
In a letter to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, which was seen by AFP, von der Leyen emphasized that the protection of the bloc's external borders is a shared European responsibility. She stated that it is clear the EU must do more to strengthen borders at critical points, specifically advocating for vigilant monitoring and the use of physical barriers where necessary. The Commission chief commended Sánchez for the "swift handling" of the crisis.
The unprecedented scenes in Ceuta have caused sharp tensions among the 27 member states. Migration hawks, specifically Italy and Denmark, have called for Spain to be suspended from the Schengen free-travel area. Madrid has firmly pushed back against this proposal, which it described as "selfish" and noted is legally impossible under existing EU rules. Spain has instead called for emergency talks among EU interior ministers to determine a way forward.
Von der Leyen noted that a videoconference scheduled for Tuesday will provide an opportunity to draw lessons from the Ceuta episode. She warned that the challenges of illegal immigration require a common European response, united action, and solidarity. The Commission chief urged the bloc to "double down" in five specific areas: preventing irregular migration through cooperation with partner states, strengthening external borders, implementing early warning systems, dismantling smuggling networks, and reinforcing return procedures.
Framing the upcoming ministerial meeting as a "first step," von der Leyen said she expects leaders to address the issue at their next summit, which is currently planned for October. The European Union has significantly tightened its migration rules in recent months, including by allowing member states to send failed asylum seekers to "return hubs" located outside the bloc's borders.
