Italy says it’s temporarily suspending EU Schengen arrangement with Spain after 60,000 migrants reach Ceuta – as it happened

Just as we closed the blog, Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni has confirmed the move to suspend the free movement with on air and sea borders with Spain.

She said it was “an extraordinary measure, adopted to safeguard national security and prevent possible repercussions for our nation.”

In another sign that it may stop short of full border control for all arrivals from Spain (19:19), she said “the measure will be kept in force only for the time necessary, with particular attention to limiting any impact on summer tourist flows.”

She added that “Italy is ready to support every European initiative to assist Spanish institutions as needed to restore full control of the Union’s external borders and to address the ongoing situation with determination.”

“Defending borders means defending the safety of citizens, combating irregular immigration, and striking at the criminal networks that traffic human beings,” she said.

And, on that note, we will be closing the blog for today.

• At least 57 people have died trying to reach the Spanish enclave of Ceuta after as many as 60,000 migrants entered the tiny territory from Morocco (17:33).

• Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, called it a “a violation of Spain’s territorial integrity” (12:51) and blamed on misleading narratives spread by human traffickers (12:54, 13:17).

• In response, Italy has moved to suspend its free-travel Schengen arrangements with Spain by sea and air (18:26), claiming it was necessary to safeguard the security of its citizens (19:02, 19:07). It is understood it will amount to “targeted, selective checks” on third-country nationals arriving from Spain (19:19).

• But by Friday afternoon, the Spanish authorities claimed that a vast majority of the migrants have voluntarily returned to Morocco (16:41, 18:20), with hundreds more going back by the hour as there was no onwards migration route to mainland Spain or the EU (14:02, 15:04).

• The huge influx, which took place over the course of just 24 hours, overwhelmed the city of 85,000 people, triggered a political crisis for Madrid and led to a barrage of criticism from the US (15:25, 15:29, 18:02) and other EU countries, including broader calls to suspend Spain’s membership of the Schengen area (9:42, 10:21, 12:10, 13:52, 14:52, 16:59, 17:38).

If you have any tips, comments or suggestions, email me at jakub.krupa@theguardian.com.

I am also on Bluesky at @jakubkrupa.bsky.social and on X at @jakubkrupa.

Spain found an unexpected ally in Slovakia’s Robert Fico, who said that he did not believe that “excluding Spain from the Schengen Area would be the right solution” as he offered help to the government in Madrid.

In a lengthy post in English, he said:

“I am closely monitoring developments in the migration crisis in the Spanish enclave in Africa on an hourly basis. Today, I also joined the initiative of Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni calling for a strong response from the EU institutions.

The Government of the Slovak Republic has long maintained that the most effective way to prevent illegal migration is the rigorous protection of the Schengen external borders. In other words, everything possible – and even what may seem impossible – must be done to prevent illegal migrants from entering the territory of EU Member States without authorisation. It is striking to observe the hypocrisy of many EU Member States, as well as EU representatives, who only a few years ago, through their lax approach, allowed illegal migrants to enter EU countries in massive numbers, causing serious crises.

Today, everyone presents themselves as a determined opponent of illegal migration, having seen how voters across individual Member States politically removed several governments because of their inability to deal with the migration crisis. I would like to recall that, several years ago, when I exercised my right of veto and prevented the adoption of mandatory migrant quotas at the European Council, I had to endure considerable political hostility and criticism.

Radical, even extreme, proposals will also emerge in connection with the current crisis in Africa. As prime minister of the Slovak Republic, I do not believe that excluding Spain from the Schengen Area would be the right solution. Just as we were prepared to assist France in combating wildfires, Slovakia should also adhere to its proven strategy of protecting the Schengen external borders at all costs. Any country requiring assistance in safeguarding those borders should receive the maximum possible support through the deployment of police officers and the technical equipment necessary for border protection.

Slovakia is ready to offer such assistance to Spain.”

We are getting a bit more detail on what the Italian decision will mean in practice.

The Italian interior ministry said border police would carry out “targeted, selective checks” on third-country nationals arriving from Spain to verify that they had the documents needed for travel within the European Union, Reuters reported.

Remember that it’s all a bit symbolic – or political – as all people leaving Ceuta still have to go through a Spanish border control anyway, and do not have free access to the EU or the Schengen zone, as per the EU’s rules (14:02),

Italian foreign minister Antonio Tajani has just confirmed the decision to close Italy’s air and sea borders with Spain.

In a post on X, he said the temporary suspension of Schengen with Spain “is a necessary choice to safeguard the security of our citizens and defend the European borders.”

He stressed that it was “a measure provided for by the treaties and made unavoidable today.”

“The migrant crisis in Ceuta reminds us that the management of the Union’s borders is a shared responsibility among our countries, one toward the other.

We must work together to prevent uncontrolled migrant flows from entering EU territory, with all the consequent risks and the threat of terrorism, which must be confronted without hesitation.”

In the absence of a detailed breakdown of the proposed measures from the Italian government, I managed to get a bit more from the European Commission on what are the legal options available to Rome.

A commission spokesperson crucially insisted that “there are today no onward movements from Cueta,” with the focus on “getting the situation under control and making sure people are returning to Morocco.”

But they added that:

“For the general legal framework, the rules provide that Member States may exceptionally and temporarily reintroduce internal border control as a matter of last resort, to address serious threats to public order or national security (Article 25(1)(c))
Where such threat is unforeseeable and requires immediate action, the Member State may, on an exceptional basis, immediately reintroduce border control at internal borders.
The Member State in question would need to notify the Commission, Council, Parliament and other Member States thereof and explain how the situation in Ceuta constitutes a serious threat to their public policy or internal security.

As regards maritime travel: What is possible is a reintroduction of internal border control at the internal sea borders. However Article 41 of the Schengen Borders Code provides that the special rules applicable to Ceuta and Melilla remain in place, meaning there is border control between Ceuta and Melilla and the rest of the Schengen area.”

The Guardian understands that Italy has not yet formally notified any of the partners of its decision, which may explain why we don’t know the details of the proposed measures yet.

There are some precedents: for example, Germany has reinstated some border controls with its neighbours in 2024 as a measure against irregular migration. The latest set of measures is due to expire in September, but German ministers suggested today it would be extended once again.

Meanwhile, ever a diplomat, France’s Emmanuel Macron said he had been in touch with the Spanish government to express his solidarity and offer assistance to Spain.

“I welcome the ongoing cooperation with Morocco, which has already enabled more than 40,000 returns from Ceuta to Morocco today. The interior ministers are in contact to ensure close monitoring of the situation,” he said.

As others, he also pointed out that “Ceuta does not benefit from freedom of movement to the rest of the Schengen Area.”

But, as a precautionary measure, Macron said he had asked the interior ministry to strengthen the French controls on its border with Spain with four mobile units and drones.

He ended with a call for “solidarity” and joint “responsibility” in “enforcing rules of firmness on returns and the protection of the Union’s external borders.”

Italy said it was suspending ⁠the EU’s ⁠border-free ​Schengen arrangements with Spain in response ⁠to a mass influx of ⁠migrants into the ​Spanish enclave ‌of Ceuta ‌from neighbouring Morocco, Reuters reported.

Italy ‌does not have a land border with Spain but the measure will impact ‌people travelling by plane or ​boat between the two countries, the agency noted.

Italy’s interior ministry said it had ​also agreed ​with Paris ​to strengthen ​controls ‌along the Franco-Italian ​land ​border.

The latest estimates by the Spanish government say that 48,300 people have returned back to Morocco after crossing the border last night.

This means that only a fraction of the total – estimated to be between 50,000 (as per central government) and 60,000 (as per local government) – remain in Ceuta.

In sharp contrast, the US president, Donald Trump, offered some critical commentary on Cueta, attacking Spain for “bad management” and “very liberal laws.”

It looks like he will want to draw comparisons with Spain to mobilise voters ahead of his upcoming midterms campaign in the US.

Here is what he said during a cabinet meeting. Note that some of his numbers – “hundreds of thousands of people” – are wildly off.

“I saw Spain yesterday, and I watched the catastrophe that took place. It was, it looks like an invasion of a country by hundreds of thousands of people. And that same thing is going to happen to us if the Republicans … get elected. Except worse, much bigger, much easier to get into.

Despite the fact that we have built thousands of miles of wall, which I said we were going to do, but we didn’t have that fear. Again, we [now] have the safest border in the world.

If we’re not in office, our country will be invaded at levels that made Spain look small, high.

And when I watched it, I said, boy, I said, … that’s going to be a talking point for the midterms, because when you look at what happened to Spain, they don’t know what to do. And it’s happening again today.

They’re coming in by the tens of thousands. It just is just invading the country. And what that is… weak law, bad management, but very liberal law. They passed a couple of laws and people read, you know, people are smart. They read from other countries and they swam that three mile swim or however they got in, but nobody’s seen it anything like it.

That will look good compared to what’s going to happen to the United States.”

European Council president António Costa strikes a sympathetic tone in his response to the events of the last 24 hours.

In his statement, markedly different in tone to that of several other EU leaders, he expresses his “solidarity with Spain in the current situation of illegal migration in Ceuta.”

As migration commissioner Brunner earlier (15:04), he also specifically makes the point that “third-country nationals in Ceuta do not enjoy free movement to mainland Spain or the rest of the Schengen area” (14:02).

He also says that “Spain’s firm response, including ongoing accelerated returns, demonstrates our determination to protect our external borders, combat illegal migration, and dismantle criminal smuggling networks.”

“I welcome Spain’s close cooperation with Morocco in addressing this shared challenge and ensuring swift returns. We will remain in close contact with the Spanish authorities in the coming days.”

Meanwhile, Spain’s Pedro Sánchez has taken to social media to hit back at a group of countries calling for Spain to be suspended from the Schengen agreement, led by Italy.

“Solidarity and empathy are optional. Respect for European treaties and data is not,” he said.

Referencing the latest data on irregular entries into the bloc collected by the EU’s border agency Frontex, he pointed out that more people crossed into the EU from Italy, the western Balkans, and Greece than from Spain.

“This is not the time to divide. It is the time to continue building a strong and united EU,” he said.

Poland’s Donald Tusk urged Spain to tighten its asylum laws, border procedures and build “effective” barriers “if Schengen is to survive.”

In a rare post in English on X, he said:

“Poland has tightened asylum laws, border procedures, and has built effective barriers on its border with Belarus, which is the eastern border of the EU. We have invested billions of euros and engaged thousands of soldiers, police officers and border guards. Spain must follow our example if Schengen is to survive.”

The death toll has just been revised upwards once again, with 57 confirmed dead, according to El País and RTVE Noticias.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha has warned against a “an intensive Russian propaganda campaign across Europe using pictures from Ceuta to sow destabilisation.”

“There have been more than 1,500 publications on outlets identified by analysts as a pro-Russian network, led by Pravda and RT. Pravda Spanish has posted almost 300 of them. Every language edition of RT has pushed more than 25 news items on the issue.”

He added:

“For years, Moscow has used migration and other sensitive topics to stoke fear and destabilise European countries.

This is not about the situation itself, but about the way Russia tries to exploit any topic that can benefit its agenda. The only way to protect the public from this interference is to cut it off.

All Russian propaganda resources should be completely banned in every European country that takes its national security seriously.”

Czech Republic’s Andrej Babiš is the latest EU leader to join in political posturing calls to temporarily suspend Spain’s participation in the Schengen area as a result of the Ceuta crisis.

Babiš also took the opportunity to criticise Spain’s (completely separate) plans to regularise the legal status of some one million migrants in Spain, arguing that the EU’s policy was going in the exactly opposite direction, ČT24 reported.

The latest Spanish government estimates say that a majority of the migrants who crossed into Ceuta have now voluntarily returned to Morocco.

37,500 people have made the way back, according to the latest estimates, out of the estimated 40,000 (according to the central government) to 60,000 (local government) that had crossed into Ceuta over the last 24 hours.

Meanwhile, the death toll from crossing has gone up to 43, the Spanish news agency EFE reported.

US president Donald Trump struck a similar tone, telling Fox News that the pictures coming from Spain were “terrible.”

“It’s terrible. Remember that picture. That’s going to be us in three years if the wrong side gets in,” he said, as reported by Fox News, referring to Democrats winning elections.

“If the Democrats get in, you will not live a very good life,” he told Fox News’s anchor Jacqui Heinrich who spoke with him earlier today.

US vice-president JD Vance responded to the crisis in Ceuta, saying the pictures coming from Spain were “an unfortunate reminder of the consequences of mass migration and the radical left-wing globalist policies.”

Here is what he said in full:

“Thank God POTUS was elected and our country’s border no longer looks like this.

These images out of Spain are an unfortunate reminder of the consequences of mass migration and the radical left-wing globalist policies that have enabled the Invasion of the West.”

EU’s migration commissioner Magnus Brunner has just responded to the crisis situation in Ceuta.

In a post on X, he called the situation “unacceptable” and said he’s in close contact with the Spanish authorities.

But he also confirmed the point I made earlier about the fact that there is no onwards route from Ceuta (14:02) given the enclave’s unique status under the Schengen rules.

“I reiterate that there are no onward movements towards the European continent or other member states. The Schengen Borders Code provides for special rules that apply to Ceuta and Melilla. Border checks on persons departing from Ceuta and Melilla remain in force.”

He also “welcomes the close cooperation between Spain and Morocco to manage the situation and ensure swift returns.”

“The commission will continue to work with the Spanish authorities on the effective use of the instruments available under the new Migration and Asylum rules and to provide additional support at EU level, including through our agencies,” he says.

Denmark’s prime minister Mette Frederiksen is the latest EU leader to urge the bloc to consider whether Spain should be suspended from the Schengen cooperation.

In a written statement, quoted by Berlingske, TV2 and DR, Frederiksen said that “the EU must immediately take all necessary steps and consider all options, including a suspension of Schengen cooperation” to avoid repeating the 2015 migration crisis.

“Uncontrolled immigration is a threat to Europe and Denmark,” she was quoted as saying.

Some of the European reactions to this migration crisis in Ceuta – playing on voters’s concerns that the new arrivals would now be free to travel onwards within the EU – seem to ignore a fairly important caveat in Spain’s Schengen rules.

Under the 1990 deal on Spain joining the Schengen agreement, the two north African enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla are covered by a special regime, with Spain responsible for maintaining another round of border checks before travellers enter mainland Spain or any other EU country.

The relevant clauses say:

“Pursuant to its national law and in order to verify whether passengers still satisfy the conditions laid down in Article 5 of the 1990 Convention on the basis which they were authorised to enter national territory upon passport control at the external border, Spain shall maintain checks (on identity and documents) on sea and air connections departing from Ceuta and Melilla and having as their sole destination any other place on Spanish territory.

To the same end, Spain shall maintain checks on internal flights and on regular ferry connections departing from the towns of Ceuta and Melilla to a destination in another State party to the Convention.”

This obviously does not lessen the legal, political and humanitarian challenges facing Spain. The government in Madrid will need to decide how to respond to the tens of thousands of new arrivals in Ceuta, and will probably seek to facilitate their return to Morocco – either voluntarily or through legal channels – as the sheer scale of the influx makes it nearly impossible for them to remain in the enclave.

But despite the tone coming from the likes of France and Italy, this also does not mean new arrivals automatically are already within the Schengen area in the way most people – and voters – understand it.

Or to put it simply: the new arrivals do not get the right to travel freely to the rest of the EU – say, France, Germany or Italy – and would still have to face another border check before they can leave Ceuta for mainland Spain or any other part of the EU.

This is presumably why we have seen some unusually strong language from Spain’s foreign minister earlier today, angrily accusing Italy of trying to score political points on the back of their problems (9:42).

With France, Italy and Spain all set to have closely contested elections in 2027 in which migration is likely to feature heavily, it’s perhaps not surprising to see politicians get involved in that sort of politicised commentary as they feel domestic political pressures and need to respond to their voters’s fears.

But it’s worth keeping in mind that the legal situation is (as often) a bit more complex.

Spain’s interior ministry said around 25,000 migrants are believed to have returned from Ceuta to Morocco today as part of a Spanish effort to reverse last night’s migratory flows across the border.

If confirmed, that would be almost half of all those believed to have crossed, given that the latest estimates from local authorities put the figure at about 60,000 people (13:46).

But there are some obvious problems with offering detailed estimates offered during an ongoing emergency, so it is probably worth treating all of these numbers with some caution.

The EU’s former foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell Fontelles, dismissed calls to suspend Spain’s Schengen status, saying it’s impossible under the EU law.

In very pointed criticism of Italy’s request for such a suspension (9:42), the Spanish politician and former senior EU official stressed:

“Under EU law, no Member State can unilaterally suspend another’s participation in Schengen.”

He added:

“This is worth unpacking as it is quite revealing of how EU governments are learning to understand, talk, use and abuse the EU’s legal order in manifest breach of the principle of loyal cooperation that binds them.”

Speaking shortly after Sánchez, Ceuta’s regional president Juan Jesús Vivas also offered his take on the events of the last 24 hours.

He said that the latest estimates show that “around 60,000 people have entered our city” as part of the influx.

That’s almost two-thirds of the city’s ordinary population.

“Clearly, this figure demonstrates the impossibility of absorbing such pressure,” he said.

Furthermore, at least 34 people are believed to have died trying to cross into Ceuta, he said.

He urged the government to act “decisively and immediately” to respond to the challenge.

The German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, also spoke about the situation in Ceuta.

In a statement, he said:

“Protecting the external borders of the European Union is crucial for combating illegal migration. I have a clear expectation that all EU member states will fulfil this obligation. We are in contact with the Spanish government on this matter.

Spain wants and needs to get the situation in Ceuta under control as quickly as possible. I therefore welcome Spain’s intention not to allow illegal migrants onto the European continent.

We expect Morocco to take back the illegal migrants immediately. I

t is good that the European Commission and Commissioner Magnus Brunner have pledged their support for this. The return regulation adopted in June must now be implemented immediately and fully.”

Meanwhile, the European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen also responded to the crisis, saying “the images coming from Ceuta are unacceptable.”

“We cannot allow anyone to come to our Union without abiding by our rules. Dangerous crossings must stop immediately. Smuggling networks must be dismantled.

And returns must be swift, as our rules allow. I tasked two Commissioners to support to control the situation.

@magnusbrunner is already working closely with Spain and is ready to travel to critical points. He will work on additional operational support to Spain, including through Frontex.

@dubravkasuica is in contact with her Moroccan counterpart.

I am confident that our close partnership with Morocco will help deliver concrete results.”

There is also a further diplomatic angle to the current crisis.

Morocco’s authorities have not yet issued an official statement on the flow of migrants, and it is not yet clear what prompted the surge in crossings or how hard authorities on the Moroccan side tried to prevent it.

However, it could be linked to the rivalry between Morocco and Algeria, and a recent trip by the Spanish prime minister to Algiers.

The last mass border crossing, in May 2021, took place after Morocco loosened border controls during a diplomatic row with Spain over Spain’s decision to allow the leader of the Western Sahara independence movement, the Polisario Front, to be treated for Covid-19 in Spain.

Morocco and the Polisario Front both lay claim to Western Sahara, which was under Spanish rule until 1975, when colonial authorities handed over the territory to Morocco and Mauritania.

That diplomatic crisis ended in 2022 when Madrid reversed its longstanding policy of neutrality and backed Morocco’s plan for Western Sahara – a move that had caused a diplomatic rift between Madrid and Algiers, which had supported the Polisario group.

The Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez visited Algiers on 20 July – the first such visit by a Spanish head of government in four years – marking a thaw in relations with Algeria.

Sánchez’s line is clear: the migration crisis in Ceuta is a violation of Spain’s territorial sovereignty, driven by human traffickers wilfully misleading migrants about the legal situation following a recent ruling by the Spanish supreme court.

He says human traffickers are spreading a “self-serving” and misleading interpretation of the Spanish supreme court’s recent ruling on push backs to drive migratory flows.

The court said earlier this month that immediate returns of migrants crossing the border illegally did not apply to those arriving by sea – but with some important caveats that say they cannot “overcome the established border containment elements.”

Sánchez’s fully intends to confront the gangs over that and protect Spain’s internal security, just as the government would over in Madrid, he says.

The authorities will further adapt the border – for example, introducing more visible barriers to mark the border; a point specifically mentioned in the court’s ruling – to further tighten their case vis a vis the court’s ruling and thus enable repatriations.

Making the most of Ceuta’s unique geographical position – or to put it bluntly, that they have nowhere further to go – the migrants will be told to return across the border or face formal proceedings.

The government will also look at whether it needs to change some laws to guarantee the repatriation of those involved.

Sánchez says a temporary reception centre will be established to facilitate documentation, registration, triage and “expedited” expulsion of people with no legal claim to be in Spain.

He says the government will also add a visible barrier – a line of buoys – near the breakwater to make it clear where the border is to legally comply with the court’s ruling.

He says this will help with border repatriations while fully complying with the court’s decision – as he notes that many of them are already voluntarily leaving.

He says Spain will work closely with Morocco on this.

Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez calls last night’s escalation “an attack and a violation of Spain’s territorial sovereignty.”

He calls it “deplorable,” and says it deserves “our strongest possible condemnation.”

He says the government will use “all the mechanisms and resources available to the state” to resolve the situation.

Sánchez is speaking now.

I will bring you the key lines here.

Swedish prime minister Ulf Kristersson is the latest European leader to respond to the events unfolding in Ceuta.

In a post on X, he urged Spain to “act swiftly to regain control of the situation and fulfil its commitments within Schengen cooperation.”

“If the developments were to risk affecting Sweden’s security or migration situation, the government is prepared to take the measures required to safeguard order and control,” he added.

Finnish interior minister Mari Rantanen said that as “Spain has completely failed to protect the Schengen Area’s external border,” all EU countries should support Italy’s proposal to suspend its Schengen status.

“Countries that do not fulfil their obligation to protect the external border cannot be members of Schengen,” she said.

Dutch interior minister Tom Berendsen called the events in Cueta “concerning.”

“We are counting on Spain to do what is necessary to protect the EU’s external borders and on Morocco also taking the necessary steps,” he added.

And France’s interior minister Laurent Nuñez has just said the government will do exactly that.

In a post on X, he said:

“In response to the situation observed in the Ceuta enclave, I gave instructions as of last night to immediately strengthen the controls at the Spanish border. Furthermore, I am activating the Rapid Intervention Border Force for in-depth checks.”

The crisis also prompted some strong reactions in France.

Far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen said:

“Faced with the massive and coordinated influx of migrants into Spain, encouraged by the Spanish government, France must without delay strengthen controls at its borders. And in 2027, we will put an end to this madness by reserving Schengen free movement for EU nationals.”

Former prime minister Michel Barnier struck a fairly similar tone:

“The European Union now has an essential tool thanks to the advances achieved by the @EPP & @fxbellamy in the European Parliament with the new return directive.

It is time to move from texts to action: every person in an irregular situation who is not meant to stay must be effectively returned.

France cannot suffer the consequences of its neighbours’ migration choices. If a Member State makes decisions that create a pull factor for migration, we must be able to immediately protect our borders, particularly with Spain.

Mastering immigration is a condition of sovereignty, security, and trust between European states. The rules exist: they must be applied firmly, in the interest of France and Europe.”

in Madrid

The opposition People’s party (PP) is calling on Sánchez to produce a swift and tough response, saying the small military and police reinforcements announced last night are insufficient.

The PP’s leader, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, is not dialling down his language.

“People have continued to arrive in Ceuta throughout the night, and those on the ground describe an occupied city, with nothing sufficient being done to prevent it,” he’s just posted on X.

“In Melilla, too, around 400 irregulars have entered. I insist that Sánchez must defend our national security, our territorial integrity, and our coexistence.

As prime minister, he has instruments and means at his disposal, and all that remains is for him to give the orders.

As serious as what is happening is the fact that the Government is reacting with this weakness. All of Spain stands with Ceuta and Melilla.”

The far-right Vox party, meanwhile, is calling the influx “an invasion”.

in Madrid

The Spanish interior ministry has just said that more than 49,000 people are believed to have swum or walked into Ceuta over the past 24 hours.

That, obviously is a huge number, and dwarves the 10,000 people who entered the territory during the border crisis in 2021.

That mass crossing came amid heightened tensions between Madrid and Rabat over Spain’s decision to allow a western Sahara independence leader to be treated for Covid-19 in Spain.

To give some perspective, the population of Ceuta is around 85,000.

The Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, is en route to Ceuta, where he is expected to visit the Tarajal border and speak to the media some time after midday local time.

At least 18 people died as thousands of migrants breached the Spanish-Moroccan border in Ceuta yesterday, prompting concerns about a fresh migration crisis and questions over the implications for the European Union.

A spokesperson for the Guardia Civil force, which polices Spain’s borders, said ⁠the migrants were “massively entering from the sea” through the Tarajal breakwater, but could not provide an estimate of the numbers.

Spain’s interior minister said on Friday that it estimated some 49,000 migrants crossed into Ceuta over the past 24 hours.

More people were reported crossing into the enclave over night, with Spanish media reporting “passivity” from the Moroccan police.

In response, the Spanish government is deploying extra troops and police officers to protect the border between the tiny African enclave and neighbouring Morocco. Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez is expected to visit the territory later today.

But the fresh migration crisis sparked also a conflict within the European Union as Italian authorities demanded Spain to be suspended from open border Schengen area until they restore control.

In a rare direct clash between two EU countries, Italy’s far-right prime minister Giorgia Meloni angrily said that pictures coming from Ceuta demonstrated that “uncontrolled illegal immigration poses a concrete threat to the security of Europe’s borders.”

“Italy will not stand by and watch. … We are prepared to intervene with extraordinary measures to defend the borders and the safety of citizens, including the suspension of the Schengen Area with Spain,” she said.

Italian foreign minister Antonio Tajani backed her calls, saying he was in favour of Spain’s suspension, and linking the migration crisis with a recent decision with the Spanish government’s decision to regularise over 500,000 undocumented migrants resident in Spain.

In response, Spanish foreign minister José Manuel Albares said the Italian comments were “unbecoming of a foreign minister of a partner and friendly country” dismissing them as “partisan demagoguery,” and said he would summon the Italian ambassador to Madrid on Friday.

Instead, he linked the influx of migrants with a recent decision by Spain’s supreme court saying that migrants intercepted at sea while attempting to reach Ceuta or Melilla could not be summarily returned under the enclaves’ special border rejection regime.

I will bring you all the updates as the day progresses.

It’s Friday, 31 July 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.

Good morning.