Spain requests emergency funding from the EU over Ceuta migrants

By AFP and Anadolu. Published On 25 Aug 202625 Aug 2026.

Key points

• To speed up the response, Spain's cabinet on Tuesday approved the creation of a "single command" for Ceuta, to be led by Territorial Policy Minister Angel Victor Torres.
• Ceuta and Melilla, Spain's two North African enclaves, hold the EU's only land borders with Africa.
• While human rights groups noted higher figures, at least 90 individuals died on both sides of the border, according to official numbers.
• The Spanish administration additionally took steps to speed up the return of the migrants who still remain in the Spanish territory of Ceuta.
• Spanish authorities must identify those remaining in Ceuta to establish whether they are entitled to international protection or, if not, commence procedures for their return.

Spain has formally requested emergency funding from the European Union to address the migration situation in its North African enclave of Ceuta, weeks after tens of thousands of individuals surged throughout the border from Morocco.

Notably, the European Commission remarked on Tuesday that it is closely monitoring the situation and remained "fully engaged at all levels" to ensure the security of the EU's external borders.

Commission spokesman Markus Lammert remarked during a daily news briefing in Brussels, "We have now, namely yesterday, received a formal request for emergency funding, and we are now working on assessing their request as a priority and with a view to taking a swift decision."

This comes after more than 70, 000 would-be migrants, driven by poverty and misinformation, rushed towards Ceuta at the end of July, in one of the deadliest migration crises to hit the region.

In practice, the Spanish administration additionally took steps to speed up the return of the migrants who still remain in the Spanish territory of Ceuta.

Most of them have since returned to Morocco, but between five percent and 10 percent – between 3, 500 and 7, 000 individuals – remain in Ceuta, including unaccompanied children who cannot be deported.

Notably, the process has been criticised as too slow by Ceuta's regional administration. It is controlled by the conservative Popular Party (PP).

While respecting Spanish law and human rights, Torres remarked to journalists after the cabinet approved the measure, the priority is "the return and repatriation of the greatest possible number of people, adults and minors".

While return procedures are accelerated, the administration will continue to provide humanitarian assistance to those who seek asylum or are unaccompanied minors and therefore cannot be returned, he went on.

Both enclaves operate under a special arrangement within the Schengen free-travel zone. It requires anyone crossing in to face border checks before continuing onward to mainland Spain.

Taken together, the developments around spain requests emergency funding from the EU over Ceuta migrants point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.