Ceuta: Parliament demands stronger protection of EU’s external borders

MEPs denounce the instrumentalisation of irregular migrants as a hybrid warfare tool.

The sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ceuta and Melilla must be upheld.

Spain’s large-scale regularisation a pull factor and wrong signal

Spain should apply the Migration and Asylum Pact in full and cooperate with Morocco on readmissions.

MEPs condemn the mass irregular crossings into Ceuta and call for increased EU support, cooperation with Morocco and the return of persons with no right to stay.

MEPs express deep sorrow for the 141 people who died at sea during the events of 30 and 31 July 2026. While regretting the preventable loss of life , Parliament denounces the instrumentalisation of irregular migration as a tool of hybrid warfare against the territorial integrity of an EU country. Strengthening the protection of the EU’s external borders in Ceuta is of the utmost priority, MEPs say.

In a plenary resolution, adopted by 339 to 225, with 16 abstentions, Parliament expresses its full support for and solidarity with the people of Ceuta and Melilla. These are two Spanish, and European, cities “whose sovereignty and territorial integrity are beyond question”. The MEPs praise the remarkable responsibility and resilience shown by Ceuta’s citizens and local authorities during this unprecedented crisis.

The MEPs commend the work of the Policia Nacional, the Guardia Civil, the Spanish armed forces, the Spanish Red Cross, Caritas, non-governmental organisations, and civil society organisations involved in the response to the crisis, and condemn the acts of violence that have been recorded in Ceuta since end of July. They call for reinforcement of the police and security forces in the city, noting that public order and security have remained at risk since then. The Spanish government should make full and effective use of EU emergency funding, granted by the Commission, and of operational support from EU agencies. It should also cooperate fully with and support the ongoing judicial investigation at national level into the July events.

According to Parliament, the large scale regularisation policy pursued by the Spanish government acts as a pull factor and sends the wrong signal to potential migrants and smuggling networks . MEPs want the Commission to assess the possible cross-border impact on secondary movements and the functioning of the Schengen Area of these kinds of national schemes.

Protecting the EU’s external borders is a responsibility shared between the member states, and any failure to act decisively undermines the integrity of the Schengen Area as a whole, warns Parliament. All member states have to fully assume their responsibilities in preventing and combatting migrant smuggling. The Commission and all member states should step up their efforts and increase funding, including for external border protection infrastructure, enhance Frontex’s capabilities, and ensure that all instruments are swiftly deployable in crisis situations, says the text.

MEPs also note that the Pact on Migration and Asylum has been applicable since 12 June 2026, underlining Spain’s responsibility to make full use of this legal and operational framework. They demand the swift return of all those who have no right to remain in the EU, including unaccompanied minors, in full compliance with EU and international law. Spain and Morocco should accelerate their cooperation on returns and readmissions of all the irregular migrants who arrived during the mass illegal crossing at the end of July, they add.

EU relations with neighbouring non-EU countries must be based on reciprocity, Parliament underlines, adding that preferential market access and financing should be conditional on effective cooperation, including on border management, migrant smuggling and readmission.

The resolution calls on the Moroccan authorities to fulfil their responsibilities and commitments on border management, return and migration cooperation. MEPs demand unconditional respect for the territorial integrity of EU countries as a fundamental principle of international law. Any statement calling Spanish sovereignty into question is unacceptable and incompatible with the obligations of a partner country, they declare.