MEPs have condemned mass irregular crossings into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta and called for stronger protection of the EU’s external borders, increased EU support and closer cooperation with Morocco.
The Parliament said in a statement on Thursday that it was “deeply sorrowful” for the 141 people who died at sea during events on 30 and 31 July 2026.
It also denounced what it described as the “instrumentalisation” of irregular migration as a tool of hybrid warfare against the territorial integrity of an EU country.
A plenary resolution was adopted by 339 votes to 225, with 16 abstentions, and expressed solidarity with the people of Ceuta and Melilla.
Ceuta and Melilla were described in the resolution as two Spanish and European cities “whose sovereignty and territorial integrity are beyond question.”
The Parliament commended Spain’s Policia Nacional and Guardia Civil, the Spanish armed forces, the Spanish Red Cross, Caritas and other non-governmental and civil society organisations involved in the response.
It condemned acts of violence recorded in Ceuta since the end of July and called for reinforcement of police and security forces, saying public order and security had remained at risk.
The Spanish government was urged to make full use of EU emergency funding granted by the European Commission and operational support from EU agencies, and to cooperate with a national judicial investigation into the July events.
Calls for returns and use of new EU rules
The Parliament criticised Spain’s large-scale regularisation policy, saying it acted as a pull factor and sent “the wrong signal” to potential migrants and smuggling networks.
It called on the Commission to assess the possible cross-border impact of national regularisation schemes on secondary movements — when people move on to other EU countries after entering one member state — and on the functioning of the Schengen Area, the EU’s passport-free travel zone.
The Parliament said the Pact on Migration and Asylum — a set of EU rules on managing migration and asylum — has been applicable since 12 June 2026, and said Spain should make full use of the framework.
MEPs demanded the swift return of people with no right to remain in the EU, including unaccompanied minors, in compliance with EU and international law,.
Spain and Morocco were urged to accelerate cooperation on returns and readmissions of irregular migrants who arrived during the end-of-July crossings.
The resolution also said preferential market access and financing in EU relations with neighbouring non-EU countries should be conditional on effective cooperation on border management, migrant smuggling and readmission, and called on Morocco to fulfil its responsibilities on border management and returns.
