EPP chief warns Morocco of repercussions unless Ceuta migrant influx is reversed

Manfred Weber, head of the European People’s Party, became the first senior EU figure to tour the Spanish enclave of Ceuta since the migrant surge began, accompanied by opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo and Ceuta President Juan Jesús Vivas. He called on Morocco to return every irregular migrant who entered the city in late July, a flow that amounted to about 80,000 people. Weber warned that if the border cannot be stabilised, “obvious consequences” could affect trade agreements, security cooperation and other vital aspects of the EU-Morocco partnership, though he offered no specifics.

The crisis has left more than 3,000 migrants on Ceuta’s streets, straining Spain’s ability to process returns while Moroccan authorities have so far not repatriated all their nationals. The EU’s long-awaited partnership agreement, which includes increased funding for Moroccan border control, has been put on hold because of the situation. The European Commission echoed Weber’s demand for full repatriation, while Spain’s Youth Minister Sira Rego indicated that most unaccompanied minors will stay in Spain under national law. The episode has intensified criticism of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s handling of the crisis and highlighted tensions over Spain’s regularisation plan for undocumented migrants.