In recent days, the mass arrival of migrants in Ceuta has ignited significant discord among European Union member states. Twenty-two out of the 27 EU countries have jointly called for reinforced protection of the bloc’s external borders, expressing their concerns in a formal letter.
Some EU countries, including Italy and Denmark, have criticised Spain's handling of the situation, claiming that its migration policies contributed to the crisis. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni went so far as to accuse Spain of having lost control of its external borders, announcing temporary checks for travellers arriving from Spain as a symbolic measure.
In response, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez condemned what he described as prejudice, misinformation, and political self-interest driving the reactions of certain EU governments.
Luxembourg, along with France and Portugal, declined to sign the letter demanding stricter border controls.
In an interview with Radio 100,7 on Monday evening, Luxembourg Prime Minister Luc Frieden stated that Spain had managed the crisis well. He described the letter addressed to the European Commission as unfair, adding that he had also expressed his solidarity to Prime Minister Sánchez.
The Spanish government continues to reject the idea of establishing asylum processing centres outside the EU, insisting such camps are not a sustainable solution. Instead, Spain advocates for cooperation with countries of origin and transit, and for a unified European migration policy.
These deep differences were expected to dominate talks among EU interior ministers.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen sought to diffuse tensions ahead of the emergency meeting. In a statement, she praised Pedro Sánchez’s handling of the crisis and noted that Spain and Morocco had succeeded in preventing migrants from reaching mainland Spain and, by extension, the rest of Europe.
Von der Leyen emphasised that migration is a challenge for all of Europe and requires a collective response, highlighting the importance of solidarity among member states.
