The European Parliament adopted a resolution on September 17, 2026, criticizing Spain’s government over the recent influx of migrants into Ceuta and urging the EU to take a firmer approach to border management. It passed with 339 votes in favor and 225 against; 16 lawmakers abstained. The vote came despite resistance from socialist MEPs and raises the prospect of economic sanctions against Morocco.
The resolution strongly rebukes the Spanish government’s large-scale regularization policy. Lawmakers argue that it encourages further migration and sends the wrong signal to would-be migrants and the criminal networks facilitating irregular crossings. The document calls the events in Ceuta an “invasion” and says Spanish authorities had received advance warnings of growing pressure at the border.
The European People’s Party (PPE) initially sought a joint resolution with the socialists, but they declined to support a text that directly criticized Spain’s government or targeted Morocco. The PPE then joined forces with other parliamentary groups to produce a tougher resolution that singles out Sánchez and calls for a review of how EU development and cooperation funds are allocated to third countries.
The resolution proposes making access to EU markets and financing conditional on effective cooperation in border management and efforts to combat migrant smuggling. It also ties the Ceuta crisis to cooperation with Morocco, calling on Rabat to meet its obligations on border control and migrant returns, while stepping up anti-smuggling efforts. Future funding and trade preferences could be withheld from countries that fail to meet EU standards on migration control.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen backed that message, stating that “the border of Ceuta is a European border.” She introduced a new EU emergency response structure designed to allow faster returns of irregular migrants in situations like Ceuta’s. The structure signals the bloc’s determination to respond decisively to future crises.
The resolution also stresses the need to protect unaccompanied minors in Ceuta, as the city faces the humanitarian consequences of the border breach.
By adopting the resolution, the European Parliament has highlighted the divide between Spain’s ruling party and its European partners, while setting a precedent for tying EU financial support to concrete migration outcomes. The move puts Sánchez and Morocco under increased scrutiny as Brussels signals its readiness to use economic use to enforce stricter border controls. Spain’s regularization policies face intense criticism, and the political cost of mismanaging migration is now a matter of public debate.
