{"id":2981,"date":"2026-08-03T16:43:08","date_gmt":"2026-08-03T16:43:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cnnglobalnews.com\/2026\/08\/03\/stronger-eu-borders-including-physical-barriers-needed-after-ceuta-crisis-von-der-leyen-says\/"},"modified":"2026-08-03T16:43:08","modified_gmt":"2026-08-03T16:43:08","slug":"stronger-eu-borders-including-physical-barriers-needed-after-ceuta-crisis-von-der-leyen-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cnnglobalnews.com\/?p=2981","title":{"rendered":"Stronger EU borders including physical barriers needed after Ceuta crisis, von der Leyen says"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-gu-name=\"media\" class=\"dcr-14sl0e4\">\n<div class=\"dcr-17l77cs\">\n<figure id=\"d69dd4db-c3d4-45fc-872d-36922e2056cc\" class=\"dcr-191xnya\">\n<div id=\"img-1\" class=\"dcr-1t7hdmw\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Members of the navy in boats behind floating orange tubes that mark the border\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/ffe8c7fb36d8604cd716cfc0a9f080fe4f933c2f\/458_0_4583_3667\/master\/4583.jpg?width=465&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"465\" height=\"372.06087715470215\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"dcr-up96pv\"><span class=\"dcr-kogzpx\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-18mnkpm\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1294qmb\"><label for=\"the-checkbox\" class=\"dcr-4sl2vt\"><\/label> <\/p>\n<div id=\"the-caption\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1mfxiaj\"><span class=\"dcr-13i4yc9\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">Members of the Royal Moroccan Navy patrol the Moroccan side of the floating barrier off the border with Ceuta.<\/span> Photograph: Violeta Santos Moura\/Reuters<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><a href=\"#img-1\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-zwabc0\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"d69dd4db-c3d4-45fc-872d-36922e2056cc\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-1bitgpn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-1shbixy\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"dcr-qda0hp\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1e9iiy9\"><span class=\"dcr-13i4yc9\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">Members of the Royal Moroccan Navy patrol the Moroccan side of the floating barrier off the border with Ceuta.<\/span> Photograph: Violeta Santos Moura\/Reuters<\/figcaption><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"headline\" class=\"dcr-ql9l8l\">\n<div class=\"dcr-6mja0y\">\n<h1 class=\"dcr-l0wuod\">Stronger EU borders needed after Ceuta crisis, von der Leyen says<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"standfirst\" class=\"dcr-1xpojbf\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1gm5ptv\">\n<p>European Commission president says work needed in five areas of migration control including returning more people<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"body\" class=\"dcr-x1al2c\">\n<div class=\"dcr-11gq2tx\">\n<div id=\"maincontent\" class=\"dcr-1w2vkyc\">\n<div class=\"article-body-commercial-selector article-body-viewer-selector dcr-ogvvui\">\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">The president of the European Commission has called for action to strengthen Europe\u2019s borders after tens of thousands of people arrived and quickly left the Spanish territory of Ceuta, triggering a furious row between Madrid and other European countries.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">In a letter to Spain\u2019s prime minister, Pedro S\u00e1nchez, on Monday, Ursula von der Leyen said: \u201cFrom this incident, it is clear that we must do more to further strengthen our borders at critical points, including vigilant monitoring and the use of physical barriers where needed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">She praised the Spanish socialist leader\u2019s swift handling of the crisis, after the vast majority of migrants left Ceuta and Spain officials began installing a 500-metre (1,640ft) floating barrier at the border \u200cwith <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/morocco\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">Morocco<\/a>. \u201cOrder has been restored and the returns system in place worked,\u201d she wrote in the letter.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"8722b6cb-273d-424e-af44-27bfcc544082\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-d9bay7\">\n<div id=\"img-2\" class=\"dcr-1t7hdmw\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"People clamber out of the sea on to a rocky outcrop \" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/8fdefc1a7d705bacefb26ace5f887259cf318e58\/41_0_1212_969\/master\/1212.jpg?width=445&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"445\" height=\"355.779702970297\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"dcr-up96pv\"><a href=\"#img-2\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-zwabc0\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"8722b6cb-273d-424e-af44-27bfcc544082\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-1bitgpn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-1shbixy\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-174mzkf\"><span class=\"dcr-vyhg7z\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">People arriving in Ceuta from Morocco last week. Tens of thousands of people arrived in the Spanish territory, the vast majority of whom have already been sent back.<\/span> Photograph: Reduan Dris\/EPA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Spain \u2060estimates that about 69,500 migrants \u200bhave returned to Morocco over the past four days, exceeding initial estimates 50,000 having arrived in the enclave on North African territory on Thursday. Authorities in Ceuta <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/aug\/03\/ceuta-leader-border-crossing-morocco-spain\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">reported that 88 people died trying to reach the territory<\/a>, while at least 11 deaths have been recorded in Morocco.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Ceuta and Melilla, another Spanish enclave, have the EU\u2019s only land border with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/africa\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">Africa<\/a>. Both cities see periodic surges in attempted crossings, although neither permits onward free movement to the EU as they are outside the border-free Schengen zone.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">EU interior ministers will hold emergency talks on Tuesday, which von der Leyen said would be a chance to draw lessons from the crossings.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">The EU, she said, should double down on five areas: strengthening co-operation with non-EU countries to prevent migration; stronger external borders; implementing early warning systems; dismantling smuggling networks; and boosting returns of people with no right to stay.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"fdb04413-aee9-4e11-973c-10241a591857\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-d9bay7\">\n<div id=\"img-3\" class=\"dcr-1t7hdmw\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"People sit on the ground and lean against a wall on a street in Ceuta \" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/7dad98caaac0bc4cd99b5d0a45c21a4bba71a6a1\/150_0_1217_973\/master\/1217.jpg?width=445&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"445\" height=\"355.7806080525883\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"dcr-up96pv\"><a href=\"#img-3\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-zwabc0\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"fdb04413-aee9-4e11-973c-10241a591857\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-1bitgpn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-1shbixy\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-174mzkf\"><span class=\"dcr-vyhg7z\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">People who arrived in Ceuta from Morocco. Spain estimates that 69,500 people have been returned over the past four days.<\/span> Photograph: Reduan\/EPA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Italian media reported that Giorgia Meloni\u2019s government wanted to accelerate the opening of offshore migration centres, which Europe\u2019s top human rights expert recently said <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/commentisfree\/2026\/jul\/20\/europe-risk-human-rights-black-hole-return-hubs-migrants\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">risk becoming \u201chuman rights black holes\u201d<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">The EU <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/jun\/02\/eu-accused-creating-ice-style-immigration-enforcement-system\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">opened the door to offshore detention centres<\/a> in June in an unprecedented departure from legal norms as part of a law aiming to increase the deportations of people with no legal right to stay.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Amid heavy criticism of the EU\u2019s divided response to the Ceuta border crossings, von der Leyen stressed that Spain could access EU funds as well as support from the Frontex border agency. So far Madrid has not requested the assistance of Frontex.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">The crossings \u2013 seized on by far-right politicians across Europe \u2013 have exposed deep divisions over migration that have left Spain\u2019s socialist leader isolated.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Over the weekend S\u00e1nchez criticised other governments for failing to support Spain, after Italy and Denmark led calls for its temporary exclusion from the Schengen zone. S\u00e1nchez said such an attitude was \u201cdriven by prejudice, fake news, ignorance or political interest\u201d, contrary to European and humanitarian law \u201cand the principles of solidarity that bind us together\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Italy and Denmark also organised a letter signed by 20 other EU member states that appeared to blame the crisis on S\u00e1nchez\u2019s decision to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/feb\/04\/this-is-europe-spain-pedro-sanchez-migrants-regularise\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">regularise the status of 500,000 migrants without documents<\/a>. \u201cWe have a duty to effectively deter and relentlessly combat illegal migration,\u201d the 22 leaders wrote, arguing for the need to address \u201call policies that can serve as pull factors, such as the regularisation of [a] very large number of irregular migrants\u201d.<\/p>\n<figure data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.NewsletterSignupBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-d9bay7\"><a data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" href=\"#EmailSignup-skip-link-15\" class=\"dcr-76akua\">skip past newsletter promotion<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-1tr4stg\">\n<div class=\"dcr-12qa5gp\">\n<hr class=\"dcr-1cjdlyj\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"EmailSignup-skip-link-15\" aria-label=\"after newsletter promotion\" role=\"note\" class=\"dcr-76akua\">after newsletter promotion<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<figure id=\"2cfd80e6-655f-40c7-8ed1-ad31084696f6\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-d9bay7\">\n<div id=\"img-4\" class=\"dcr-1t7hdmw\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Pedro S\u00e1nchez speaking at a press conference in Ceuta\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/88116d6107a46b4a00a6b80de55b274b77b8363a\/338_0_3324_2660\/master\/3324.jpg?width=445&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"445\" height=\"356.10709987966305\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"dcr-up96pv\"><a href=\"#img-4\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-zwabc0\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"2cfd80e6-655f-40c7-8ed1-ad31084696f6\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-1bitgpn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-1shbixy\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-174mzkf\"><span class=\"dcr-vyhg7z\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">Pedro S\u00e1nchez has criticised other governments for failing to support Spain, after Italy and Denmark led calls for its temporary exclusion from the Schengen zone. <\/span> Photograph: Borja Puig de la Bellacasa\/Moncloa Handout\/EPA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Academic research has found a weak link, at most, between regularisation programmes and arrivals of irregular migrants.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Michele LeVoy, the director of Picum, an umbrella group that campaigns for the rights of undocumented migrants, said regularisation programmes had been criticised by EU governments for the last two decades. \u201cIf an EU country offers regularisation possibilities, other member states believe that it may invite secondary movement [onward movement to other EU member states] \u2013 that is what EU member states don\u2019t want and that explains most likely the harsh response.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/aug\/03\/ceuta-leader-border-crossing-morocco-spain\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Amid widespread suspicion that Morocco helped fuel the crisis<\/a>, von der Leyen described the country as \u201can important strategic partner\u201d, especially in combating \u201cillegal migration\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Officials said that before the Ceuta crossings, the European Commission was looking to upgrade the EU\u2019s diplomatic relationship with Morocco to a \u201cstrategic and comprehensive partnership\u201d. The EU already has similar wide-ranging agreements with Egypt and Tunisia, which include pledges to stem migration, but have been heavily criticised by rights groups.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Von der Leyen wrote: \u201cOn anything related to Ceuta and Melilla, we could enhance border management early-warning systems and improve our technical and financial support to Morocco.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Rights groups said people seeking work or fleeing persecution needed routes to move safely. LeVoy said: \u201cOn Ceuta, political games are being played over the lives of people on both sides of the border \u2013 those who hope for a better life, and those who are made to fear a so-called \u2018invasion\u2019. But what happened in and around Ceuta is fundamentally the result of Europe\u2019s inaction on decent work permits and other regular pathways and the dismantling of its asylum systems.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-print-layout=\"hide\" class=\"dcr-swayiu\"><span class=\"dcr-1xhbmzr\">Explore more on these topics<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-2c03t5\">\n<ul class=\"dcr-p7nd18\">\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/world\/eu\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">European Union<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/world\/spain\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">Spain<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/world\/migration\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">Migration<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/world\/europe-news\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">Europe<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/world\/morocco\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">Morocco<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/world\/africa\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">Africa<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/tone\/news\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">news<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"dcr-313bdz\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Stronger%20EU%20borders%20needed%20after%20Ceuta%20crisis,%20von%20der%20Leyen%20says&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/aug\/03\/stronger-eu-borders-physical-barriers-ceuta-von-der-leyen?CMP=share_btn_url\" class=\"dcr-ncybeu\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-19bkree\"><a data-link-name=\"meta-syndication-article\" href=\"https:\/\/syndication.theguardian.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2026%2Faug%2F03%2Fstronger-eu-borders-physical-barriers-ceuta-von-der-leyen&amp;type=article&amp;internalpagecode=world\/2026\/aug\/03\/stronger-eu-borders-physical-barriers-ceuta-von-der-leyen\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"Reuse this content\" class=\"dcr-1c41onw\">Reuse this content<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"right-column\" class=\"dcr-1kq7f60\"><span class=\"dcr-1ryr20k\"><\/span><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Members of the Royal Moroccan Navy patrol the Moroccan side of the floating barrier off the border with Ceuta. Photograph: Violeta Santos Moura\/Reuters View image in fullscreen Members of the &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnnglobalnews.com\/?p=2981\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":2982,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2981","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-news","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cnnglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2981","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cnnglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cnnglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cnnglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2981"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.cnnglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2981\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cnnglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2982"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cnnglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2981"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cnnglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2981"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cnnglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2981"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}