EU divisions over migration deepen at ‘bitter’ Brussels summit to discuss last week’s storming of Spanish enclave Ceuta by 60,000 migrants, with countries rounding on Madrid as tensions further boil over
EU divisions over migration deepened today at a ‘bitter’ Brussels summit.
Ambassadors from the bloc’s 27-nation members gathered for emergency talks in the EU’s de facto capital after 60,000 migrants stormed the Spanish enclave of Ceuta last week.
According to one diplomat, Spain used the gathering to hit back at other countries after they criticised Madrid for failing to protect the EU’s external border.
They said of this afternoon’s summit: ‘Spain gave their assessment of the facts, sometimes slightly bitter vis-à-vis some of the critical member states.’
The diplomat added that member countries rounded on Spain, demanding to know ‘lessons learned to prevent a repeat’ of the Ceuta fiasco.
They also demanded that Madrid verify the numbers of migrants returned to Morocco – which borders the enclave – and the tally of those allowed to remain in Ceuta.
Another summit of home affairs and justice ministers will take place tomorrow, when tensions could further boil over.
The EU diplomat added: ‘Member states asked for monitoring of the situation and verification of the numbers of returns shared by Spain, plus lessons learned to prevent a repeat.’
On Thursday, 60,000 migrants stormed the Spanish enclave of Ceuta after swimming from Morocco, taking advantage of weak security
By Friday night, some 48,000 of those who crossed the frontier into Ceuta, which neighbours Morocco in north Africa but is part of Spain and EU soil, were reported to have been returned
On Thursday, 60,000 migrants stormed the Spanish enclave of Ceuta after swimming from Morocco, taking advantage of weak security.
At least 57 people died, either by drowning or being crushed at the border fence.
By Friday night, some 48,000 of those who crossed the frontier into Ceuta, which neighbours Morocco in North Africa but is part of Spain and EU soil, were reported to have been returned.
The rush on the border triggered European leaders to call for Spain’s temporary suspension from the bloc’s Schengen free-travel zone, sparking a furious response from Madrid.
Today’s emergency summit came after EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen launched a thinly-veiled attack on Madrid.
In a letter to Spanish officials, she reminded them that protecting EU borders was a ‘shared responsibility’, pointedly adding: ‘Only together can we preserve the integrity of the Schengen area.
‘We have remained firm that the EU will not accept illegal entries…Following this incident, it is clear that we must do more to strengthen our borders at critical points, with surveillance and the use of physical barriers where necessary.’
Last week, Spanish premier Pedro Sanchez hit out at 22 other EU leaders – branding them ‘selfish, polarising, unlawful’ – after they signed a joint letter raising ‘serious concern’ over the threat to the EU’s frontier.
They also attacked Mr Sanchez’s socialist government for granting legal status to up to 1.2million illegal migrants, saying the amnesty was acting as a ‘pull factor’ which fuelled the Ceuta crisis and penetration of the EU’s external border.
Madrid has rejected the idea that its amnesty triggered the crisis and pointed out that no migrants are thought to have made it to the EU mainland.
Ireland, which holds the EU Council’s rotating presidency, will convene tomorrow’s emergency meeting of the bloc’s home affairs and justice ministers.
