60,000 migrants surge toward Ceuta; Italy disrupts Schengen, Spain feels betrayed

The migration crisis in Ceuta, a Spanish enclave bordering Morocco, has escalated into a political dispute at the heart of Europe. European Union interior ministers are set to hold an emergency video conference to address the arrival of tens of thousands of migrants from Morocco into the territory.

The meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, August 4, 2026, was officially announced by the Council of the EU. It follows an earlier crisis response mechanism meeting on Saturday, August 1, which concluded that a joint political response was necessary. Ireland, holding the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, will chair the discussions. The emergency meeting gains significance as, while crossings into Ceuta have decreased, divisions among European nations have become more apparent.

Adding to the tension, Italy has reinstated checks on non-EU citizens arriving from Spain via airports and ports for one month. While not a complete border closure, Rome's decision has disrupted the principle of border-free travel within the Schengen Area and provoked strong criticism from Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's government.

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This is an extraordinary measure taken to safeguard national security and prevent possible impacts on our country.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stated that the checks were an "extraordinary measure taken to safeguard national security and prevent possible impacts on our country." She indicated the checks would remain in place only as long as necessary and would be managed to avoid disrupting the summer tourism season. Italy is also coordinating with France to enhance surveillance on their shared border.

For Madrid, Italy's decision feels like a rejection of the solidarity that has underpinned the EU's common migration policy. Sánchez recalled Spain's past assistance, including accepting migrants who arrived in Europe via Belarus in 2021 and aiding other countries when large numbers arrived in Lampedusa, Italy, in 2023. Now, facing its own crisis, Spain finds itself under pressure from within the Schengen Area. Sánchez wrote to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa, stating, "In the current international context, the EU cannot afford to tolerate such egoistic, divisive, and unlawful reactions."

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In the context of international current, the EU cannot afford to tolerate such egoistic, divisive, and unlawful reactions.