EU can give Morocco more border support, von der Leyen tells Spain after Ceuta spat

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed increasing EU support to Morocco to prevent a repeat of the chaotic migrant influx into Ceuta, citing Morocco as a key strategic partner in combating migrant smuggling.

European ​Commission President Ursula von der Leyen ​proposed on Monday that the ‌EU ​increase its support to Morocco to help prevent a repeat of the chaotic attempted influx of 50,000 migrants into ‌the Spanish enclave of Ceuta last week. In a reply seen by Reuters to a message from Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Saturday, in which he accused ‌some European Union partners of a lack of solidarity for their angry responses to ‌the border breach, Von der Leyen wrote:

“Morocco is an important strategic partner, particularly in our efforts to combat migrant smuggling and illegal migration. "In cooperation with Spain, especially on anything related to ⁠Ceuta and ​Melilla, we could ⁠enhance border management early-warning systems and improve our technical and financial support to Morocco."

The surge, which began ⁠on Thursday at one of the EU's only two land borders with Africa - the ​other being that between Morocco and the Spanish enclave of Melilla - prompted alarm across ⁠the bloc. Italy suspended passport-free Schengen travel arrangements with Spain for one month, even though Ceuta is ⁠excluded ​from Schengen, and 22 of the 27 member states asked for coordinated action to protect external borders.

Ireland, which holds the rotating EU presidency, said it ⁠had called an emergency video meeting of the bloc's interior ministers to discuss the crisis ⁠on Tuesday. The Ceuta ⁠crisis is the first major test of the EU's new Migration Pact, which sets rules for migration management and solidarity ‌among member ‌states.