The European Union (EU) will hold an extraordinary video conference Tuesday to address a migrant surge in Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in North Africa, Italy’s ANSA news agency reported Saturday.
Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin, whose country holds the EU Council’s rotating presidency, announced the meeting after Spain’s appeal and a 22‑nation initiative led by Italy and Denmark pressed for a coordinated European response to the migrant crisis.
Italy and Denmark on Saturday spearheaded a joint initiative, calling for a coordinated European response to recent developments at the EU's external border in Ceuta, according to a statement released by the Italian government.
The letter, signed by 22 European heads of state and government, was sent to top EU leaders, citing "serious concern" over the situation in Ceuta and stressed the need to prevent uncontrolled irregular crossings, fight migrant trafficking networks, eliminate all factors that may incentivize new illegal entries and ensure a unified and effective European response.
On the same day, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez also called on the EU to convene an extraordinary meeting to coordinate a common response to the recent migrant crisis in Ceuta, while criticizing what he described as the "selfish" attitude of some member states.
Sanchez said around 50,000 migrants had entered Ceuta irregularly, but that Spain had restored control of the border in less than 48 hours, provided humanitarian assistance, returned virtually all of those who had crossed illegally, and prevented any unauthorized onward movement to mainland Europe.
He said these efforts were made possible through close cooperation with Moroccan authorities and with the support of other EU member states, while highlighting Spain's long-standing migration policy, which he said had made the country one of the EU's most secure external borders.
Sanchez also said that while most EU governments had expressed solidarity and offered assistance, others had chosen to "attack Spain" and call for its temporary exclusion from the Schengen Area.
The latest developments came after one of the largest irregular migration incidents on Spain's southern border in recent years. According to the Spanish government, at least 67 people died during the crisis, while more than 48,000 of the nearly 50,000 migrants who entered Ceuta had returned to neighboring Morocco.
EU to hold urgent talks on Ceuta migrant crisis
