Spain has criticised what it described as a “selfish” response from some European Union countries to migrant crossings into Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in North Africa. The remarks came amid a major influx of people into the territory, which has drawn attention across Europe and placed pressure on Spain to manage the situation.
The episode has prompted debate over how responsibility for migration should be shared among EU member states. Coverage has also focused on whether Spain is being left to deal with the consequences alone, reflecting wider disagreements over border controls, asylum procedures and cooperation within the bloc.
A Supreme Court ruling has been identified as central to Spain’s handling of the crisis, although the available reports do not provide further details about its scope. The situation has also raised questions about the legal and political response to people who entered Ceuta.
Spain has said that most of the immigrants who crossed into the enclave have since left. The developments have continued to generate scrutiny of Spain’s migration policies and of the broader European response to arrivals at the bloc’s external borders.