EU Presses Madrid on Frontex Expansion in Ceuta

Spain sought a permanent deployment of the EU border agency last week to bolster security in the North African enclave. This move follows a chaotic period in late July when the border saw a surge of 75,000 individuals, an event that triggered diplomatic friction across the bloc. France responded by tightening land border controls, while Italy implemented strict arrival checks effective through September 15.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez remains under intense domestic pressure as his minority coalition faces mounting calls for his resignation. Following mass protests in Ceuta and other cities, opposition lawmakers in the Congress of Deputies are challenging the government’s crisis management. Although Madrid claims to have processed the return of 70,000 migrants to Morocco within one week of the breach, the Commission maintains that the request for additional support requires a rigorous, detailed assessment of exactly where and how European officers would operate.