Spanish authorities were warned weeks before the mass migrant influx to Ceuta that the number of sea crossing attempts was increasing and that the situation could escalate, border guards' unions said, quoted by Reuters.
Court ruling changes border situation
A key moment before the crisis was a ruling by a Spanish court on June 29. According to it, migrants can be immediately returned only if they have crossed a physical border barrier. This means that people who reach Ceuta by sea do not automatically fall under the same regime.
Information about the decision spread quickly on social media, including through videos of migrants successfully reaching the enclave.
The Spanish government subsequently accused criminal networks of spreading misleading information about the court ruling and said that this contributed to the mass influx on July 29 and 30.
Border guards have asked for clear instructions
Six written signals and letters from Spanish police and Civil Guard unions to representatives of the central government in Ceuta have been reviewed.
As early as July 10, the AUGC union warned that the court ruling had created a “legal vacuum“ and insists that border guards be given clear procedures for action.
Three days later, the police union SUP called for more officers and a coherent migration policy, warning that criminal groups were quickly adapting their routes and methods to any change in the law.
On July 23, the SUP sent a new letter, warning of constant arrivals by sea and the strain on police infrastructure. The organization proposed the creation of a temporary reception center.
Madrid defends its actions
The Spanish Interior Ministry rejected claims that it had failed to react. In a statement to Reuters, the ministry said that after the court ruling, authorities considered various options and managed to deploy a floating barrier in the sea within 48 hours of the massive influx.
A central government official in Ceuta also said there was no proven link between the gradual increase in arrivals before July 29 and the subsequent mass crossing.
Reuters reported that Moroccan authorities had also been aware of the increasing attempts to cross since mid-July. However, stricter measures, including checks at bus and train stations, only began a day or two before the crisis.
More serious reinforcements were sent only when the number of migrants at the border already reached tens of thousands.
A Moroccan government official said that after the court ruling, Rabat had asked Spanish authorities whether it would cause problems. He said the consequences of the decision were Spain's responsibility.
A new question for European migration policy
The Ceuta crisis once again calls into question the European Union's dependence on non-EU countries to control migration routes.
Morocco is among the North African countries that receive European funding for border control. In 2023, Rabat received 152 million euros from the EU, and Moroccan authorities say they spend about 500 million euros a year on securing their northern border.
The European Commission said it would continue to work with Spain and Morocco to strengthen border control and that additional financial support could be provided.
The Ceuta incident shows how quickly the combination of court decisions, social networks, the actions of trafficking networks and weaknesses in border control can escalate into a humanitarian and political crisis.