Italy and France tighten borders with Spain after 50,000 enter Ceuta

On Friday, Italy and France strengthened their border controls with Spain following the entry of approximately 50,000 people irregularly from Morocco into Ceuta, a Spanish enclave. By Friday, Spanish Interior Ministry reported that 48,300 individuals had already returned voluntarily to Morocco, with around 57 deaths recorded, mostly from attempted sea crossings. Ceuta, with a population of 83,000, experienced overwhelmed services and deployed the Army.

Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced the suspension of Schengen free movement on maritime and air connections with Spain to safeguard national security, while making it clear that the checks would be random and only applicable to non-EU citizens. France, under Interior Minister Laurent Núñez, pledged to increase fivefold the number of police officers deployed at the land border from Saturday, supported by three aircraft, drones, and reinforced train patrols. Núñez expressed solidarity with Spain and offered resources from Frontex, the EU's border agency.

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited Ceuta, describing the situation as a violation of Spain's territorial integrity, attributing it to human trafficking networks rather than to Morocco, to whom he expressed gratitude for their cooperation on repatriation. Spanish police unions reported that Moroccan authorities had relaxed exit controls, a claim yet to be officially confirmed.

EU ambassadors and member state experts will convene on Monday and Saturday, respectively, under the bloc's crisis response mechanism, convened by the Irish presidency. The situation bears resemblance to the influx between May 2021, when between 8,000 and 10,000 people entered over two days.