EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner stated that the European Union’s migration system successfully managed the sudden influx of migrants into Spain last week, seeking to demonstrate unity after disputes among European leaders regarding the initial response. Following a video conference with EU interior ministers on Tuesday, he told journalists: “When it was important, the situation was brought under control. This did not happen by chance. It happened because we acted together.”
Spain and its EU partners have differing assessments of the arrival of approximately 70,000 migrants to Ceuta — a Spanish enclave in Africa bordering Morocco and part of EU territory. According to Spanish authorities, the situation was quickly stabilized: almost all migrants were returned to Morocco within a few days, and none reached mainland Europe. Meanwhile, several European leaders criticized Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, with some even proposing introducing restrictions in the Schengen Zone. “The Schengen Zone was not affected,” Brunner emphasized.
The EU aims to reshape perceptions of the situation after several days of mutual accusations. Italy led an initiative with a critical letter to Sanchez, signed by 22 EU leaders over the weekend, shortly after the reintroduction of separate border checks for travelers from Spain. Some capitals also accused Sanchez, one of the few socialist leaders in the bloc, of his policies, particularly the decision to grant residency permits to over 1 million people, which could encourage migration. Finnish Interior Minister Mari Rantanen told journalists in Helsinki that such an approach “could be an attracting factor” for migrants to Europe. “The discussion on the legalization of migrants is a bad signal,” Brunner agreed, although he noted that officials do not see a direct link between this policy and last week’s events. “I understand that Spain did this because these are mostly Latin Americans who speak the same language and have the same culture. But the signal for the rest of Europe is not good, definitely not.”
This tension risks reigniting disputes over the EU’s migration policy — a particularly sensitive issue since 2015, when over 1 million refugees arrived in Europe. At the same time, Brunner emphasized that the European Union is now much better prepared for such crises. “We have better rules, a better system,” he said. Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska also assured that the crisis did not pose a threat to the EU. “The Schengen Zone was never in danger — not even the slightest danger,” he told journalists in Madrid.
Updated Migration Plans and External Factors
According to Brunner, officials are already working on updated migration plans ahead of the EU leaders’ summit in October. Possible measures include strengthening border controls, expanding the powers of the Frontex agency, and creating centers for processing migrants outside the EU. Brussels also plans to more actively use trade, visa, and development policies in interactions with migrants’ countries of origin.
Tuesday’s meeting took place the day after an emergency meeting of EU ambassadors on migration. According to sources, officials warned that Russia and other countries, including the USA, attempted to exploit the situation to deepen divisions within the bloc. Additionally, it was Russia that spread disinformation about the incident, although this campaign has not yet gained wide publicity. EU officials also noted that they are still investigating why thousands of people were able to enter Ceuta within hours and what role Morocco might have played in this. Brunner reported that this issue is being investigated by Spain, while highly praising cooperation with the Moroccan side.
Source: Bloomberg
