EU Grants Spain €114.7 Million Over Ceuta Border Crisis
The European Commission has granted Spain €114.7 million in emergency funding to strengthen border management in Ceuta, after more than 70,000 migrants entered the city in two days in July.
The European Commission decided on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, to grant Spain €114.7 million in emergency funding to strengthen border management in the city of Ceuta, located in northern Morocco, following mass illegal border crossings recorded on July 30 and 31. More than 70,000 migrants entered the city on foot or by swimming during those two days, according to figures reported by Agence France-Presse.
How Will the Funding Be Allocated?
The package comes from two European funds: €82.7 million from the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, and €32 million from the border management and visa instrument. The funds will go toward strengthening border surveillance through equipment such as thermal cameras, deploying additional personnel, setting up registration and control structures for people currently in the city, speeding up asylum application processing and legal return procedures, and boosting reception capacity for unaccompanied minors.
Why This Matters for Morocco
The EU decision comes amid Morocco-Spain relations over the Ceuta and Melilla dossier, which recently intensified after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced an upcoming visit by King Felipe VI to Ceuta and Melilla. The European Union had also praised what it described as Morocco's "rapid cooperation" during the mass-crossing crisis, while the European Commission is reportedly planning an additional package of around €190 million for Morocco by 2027 to support migration management on its southern border, according to Moroccan media reports.