Ceuta mass migrant crossing handling 'responsibility of all EU,' Spanish king says
72,000 migrants, most from Morocco, crossed the border into Ceuta on July 30, prompting Italy to suspend the EU's border-free Schengen arrangements with Spain for one month.
Spanish King Felipe VI has called on European countries to show greater solidarity and support for Spain following a mass arrival of tens of thousands of migrants in Ceuta, a North African enclave. The crisis, which occurred two months ago, has created significant security, public order and humanitarian challenges. King Felipe VI emphasized that this situation should lead to an increase in collaboration between member states regarding resources and cooperation.
He stressed that European countries on the EU's external borders cannot bear this responsibility alone. The king's remarks came during a gala dinner in Madrid, attended by Spain's Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, a vocal advocate for the benefits of migration. Sanchez has proposed amendments to asylum rules to expedite the return of arrivals, a move that NGOs and lawyers argue would violate human rights conventions.
The government is currently considering the possibility of legislative changes, though the process is deemed complex due to international law concerns. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised Spain's prompt response to the Ceuta crisis by returning most migrants to Morocco. However, Italy suspended the Schengen border-free arrangements with Spain for a month, while the European Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner announced plans to strengthen EU border controls.
These plans require member state approval and include enhancing the mandate of Frontex, the EU border protection agency, and establishing a standing corps for immediate deployment.
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