European Union interior ministers have expressed full support for Spain following the recent migrant crisis in the enclave of Ceuta, stressing that protecting the EU's external borders remains a shared responsibility and a priority of the union.

During an informal videoconference of the Council of Interior Ministers, attended by representatives of the 27 member states and the European Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner, it was confirmed that the situation in Ceuta has been brought under control.

According to Spanish authorities, almost all the migrants who entered Ceuta illegally last week have returned to Morocco, while no movement towards mainland Spain or the Schengen area has been recorded. “The situation is under control. No one has entered mainland Spain and the Schengen area has not been affected. Migration flows are decreasing and this year around 49 migrants have arrived in the EU, a much lower figure compared to the crisis of 2015,” said Commissioner Brunner.

He stressed that, although illegal immigration is at an all-time low, the dramatic scenes from Ceuta show that the European Union must remain united and ready to face similar situations. Brunner announced that the European agency FRONTEX is already on the ground and, together with Europol and other agencies, is supporting the Spanish authorities in managing the situation.

However, he stressed that it is Madrid's responsibility to guarantee that the approximately 3 migrants still in Ceuta, mainly from sub-Saharan African countries, do not penetrate the territory of Spain and the European Union.

In the joint statement adopted after the meeting, the interior ministers expressed their unanimous solidarity with Spain, praising the swift response of the Spanish authorities and expressing condolences for the victims who lost their lives while trying to cross the border. Member States reiterated that the EU's external borders are a shared responsibility and that migration requires a coordinated response at European level.

The ministers also agreed to intensify the fight against migrant smuggling networks, accelerate the return procedures of persons who do not have the right to stay, strengthen border control and expand cooperation with countries of origin and transit.

Another point discussed was the improvement of early warning systems, including social media monitoring and faster information exchange, with the aim of preventing similar crises in the future. Ministers also stressed the importance of coordinating communication in times of crisis, in particular to counter disinformation and interference by external actors that could exploit such situations to destabilise the European Union.