EU Commission spokesperson Markus Lammert addressed irregular migration activity in Ceuta, Spain’s territory in North Africa, during a daily press briefing. Lammert said that new attempts to cross the border irregularly had been blocked and that border security had been maintained.
Lammert said the priority was for the Spanish and Moroccan authorities to keep the situation under control and ensure the swift return of those staying illegally in Ceuta. The EU Commission spokesperson said several thousand irregular migrants were still in the area.
Cooperation between Spain and Morocco
Lammert said cooperation between Spain and Morocco over the weekend had produced results, adding that work was also being carried out with social media platforms and fact-checking organizations to prevent irregular migration and strengthen deterrence.
Lammert said efforts were being made to counter disinformation spread by migrant-smuggling networks and that some accounts linked to smuggling had been closed. A technical delegation sent to Ceuta by the EU Commission last week also assessed needs on the ground and the additional support the bloc could provide.
Lammert said the technical delegation had met with central and local authorities as well as various actors on the ground. He said the Commission did not have its own estimate of the number of irregular migrants in Ceuta, adding that it used data from central and local administrations and other actors in the field.
Returns and unaccompanied children
The EU Commission welcomed the decision by the Spanish authorities to increase reception capacity in response to the humanitarian situation of irregular migrants. It also noted statements by the Moroccan authorities that they were ready to readmit people who had reached Ceuta irregularly, including unaccompanied children.
Lammert pointed to statements by Spain’s interior and foreign ministers that no one staying illegally in Ceuta would be sent to mainland Spain. The EU Commission spokesperson said the expectation that everyone staying illegally in Ceuta would be returned remained in place and that developments would be closely monitored.
The press briefing also addressed whether unaccompanied children would be returned to Morocco and how special protection provisions for them would be applied. Lammert said EU legislation included provisions on the return of unaccompanied children in an irregular situation, adding that Spain and Morocco were being encouraged to work together to ensure the process was carried out effectively.
Additional EU support for Spain
Lammert said the EU was ready to provide Spain with financial support, including for border infrastructure. He also said additional operational support could be provided through Frontex, Europol and the EU Asylum Agency.
Lammert said informal contacts on providing additional financial assistance to Spain were continuing and that the Spanish authorities needed to submit a formal request for the support to be activated.
Debate over return centers
Debate continues in the EU over sending irregular migrants to return centers planned in third countries outside the bloc. The EU Commission had said it was not involved in talks reportedly being held by Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and Greece with Uganda on establishing a return center.
Commission spokespersons had said they were not aware of a concrete and completed proposal to establish a return center in a specific country, adding that such a proposal would be assessed if it reached an advanced stage.
Activity in Ceuta
More than 800 irregular migrants attempting to swim to Ceuta from the coast of Castillejos in Morocco had been intercepted. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said afterward that the government had mobilized all its resources.
The Spanish government had decided to deploy the armed forces to the area to provide security after attempts at irregular migration into Ceuta increased.
