European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called for "united action" to strengthen border security following a chaotic surge of tens of thousands of migrants from Morocco into the Spanish exclave of Ceuta last week.

Spain estimates that approximately 69,500 migrants have now returned to Morocco, surpassing initial estimates of 50,000. The official death toll stands at 72 on the Spanish side and 11 on the Moroccan side.

The influx has strained relations among some of the European Union's 27 member states. Von der Leyen praised Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez for his "swift handling" of the crisis in a letter, while Sánchez expressed "serious concerns" about some European governments, noting that Ceuta is not part of the Schengen area. He also criticized certain European governments for attacking Spain, attributing this to "prejudice, fake news, ignorance, or political interest," despite most showing support and solidarity.

The Schengen agreement, which eliminates border checks across 29 countries and covers over 450 million people in Europe, does not include Ceuta.

Spain's Interior Minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, stated on Saturday that the situation had nearly returned to normal. The government is working on deploying an inflatable barrier to prevent illegal migration via the water.

An urgent video conference meeting of EU interior ministers is scheduled for Tuesday, August 4th, 2026, to discuss the issue further.

Von der Leyen emphasized the need for vigilant monitoring and the use of physical barriers where necessary, stating, "From this incident, it is clear that we must do more to further strengthen our borders at critical points."

Sources