Spain has called for urgent solidarity from its European partners as the government faces a surge of irregular migration into Ceuta. Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares announced that Spain would formally demand support at the upcoming EU interior ministers’ meeting. Spanish government estimates cited in reporting put the number of people who crossed from Morocco into the enclave on 30 and 31 July 2026 at approximately 72,000. Most reportedly returned to Morocco within hours, although thousands, including unaccompanied minors, remained in Ceuta for weeks.
The crisis triggered a dispute with Italy, which reintroduced controls affecting travel from Spain on 1 August, citing concerns that migrants who entered Ceuta could reach Italian territory. Italy and Spain do not share a land border, but the measure suspended the usual Schengen arrangements between them. Spain responded on 8 August with random checks on travelers arriving from Italy. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described Rome’s decision as an “extraordinary measure” intended “to protect national security and prevent possible repercussions for our nation.”
Albares criticized the Italian government led by Giorgia Meloni, accusing it of failing to show solidarity and recalling Italy’s own experience with mass arrivals, particularly on Lampedusa. He argued that Spain had supported its EU partners in similar situations. The disagreement also centered on Ceuta’s special treatment under the Schengen structure: Italy feared that people entering the enclave might travel onward through Spain to Italy, while Spanish authorities maintained that arrival in Ceuta did not allow migrants to move freely into the Schengen area. Spain described Italy’s action as “unjust”; Albares later called it “absurd” and “a disgrace.”
The Spanish minister also condemned what he described as a coordinated campaign by reactionary international actors to spread misinformation about Spain’s handling of the crisis and the integrity of the Schengen Area. Information from Albares, some European governments had amplified false narratives, further complicating the situation.
While maintaining close contact with Moroccan Foreign Minister Naser Burita, Albares refrained from criticizing Rabat for the mass entry, instead highlighting Morocco’s cooperation in facilitating returns. He said Moroccan authorities had not demanded concessions in exchange for their assistance and reiterated that those who entered would be returned, in line with Morocco’s stated position.
Asked about the origins of the sudden influx, Albares described the event as unprecedented and pointed to unusual activity on social media, which reportedly misrepresented a Spanish Supreme Court ruling as a signal of open borders. He said Ceuta and Melilla’s position as Spanish enclaves in North Africa created challenges requiring a collective European response. Albares also rejected suggestions of intelligence or security failures, saying that ministries had acted to the best of their abilities, and stressed the importance of maintaining diplomatic channels with Morocco.
Spain’s response included returns and accommodation, along with clearing informal settlements. The government said that 12,705 people returned to Morocco between 10 August and 20 October, and that most adults still in Ceuta were housed in facilities provided by the General State Administration. By 20 October, the basic coastal settlements at Trampolín and Benítez had been cleared, as had Guano, while work continued on scattered urban settlements.
On 22 October, Interior Ministers Matteo Piantedosi of Italy and Fernando Grande-Marlaska of Spain agreed not to extend the temporary controls. Their governments also agreed to improve information-sharing on security concerns within Schengen. The ministers’ statement said that “the Schengen suspensions in force in the two countries will not be extended further,” bringing nearly three months of bilateral tension over the episode to a close. As highlighted in a recent report, King Felipe VI has also called for decisive action and unity following the mass entry in Ceuta, underscoring the pressure on Spanish authorities to find immediate and long-term solutions.
Ceuta and Melilla have long been focal points for migration from Africa to Europe. The Schengen Area enables passport-free travel across much of Europe, but its rules allow temporary internal border controls in specified circumstances. The Ceuta dispute combined migration-control concerns with disagreement over how those arrangements apply to the enclave, exposing wider divisions within the EU over responsibility-sharing and solidarity. The October agreement ended the immediate confrontation between Madrid and Rome, but did not remove the pressures associated with irregular migration through Ceuta.
