The European Commission has deployed a team of migration experts to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta for a first-hand assessment of the situation, two weeks after an estimated 80,000 migrants crossed into the territory from Morocco.
The mission comes amid reports of a possible new attempt to enter Ceuta in large numbers on August 15, following the unprecedented migration crisis that unfolded at the end of July.
A European Commission spokesperson said the team was sent to assess conditions on the ground and determine how the European Union could provide additional support to Spanish authorities. The spokesperson said the mission was intended to “understand the first-hand needs on the ground” and assess how the EU could strengthen its assistance to Spain.
The Commission, however, declined to confirm whether the experts were specifically preparing for a potential new influx. Reports have circulated on Moroccan social media calling for migrants to attempt another mass crossing on the night of August 14 into August 15. “For us it’s not about a specific date. It’s about reinforcing our borders and ensuring returns every day of the year,” another Commission Spokesperson said.
The reports have nevertheless prompted increased vigilance from Spanish and Moroccan authorities, as well as European institutions and social media companies.
An estimated 80,000 migrants crossed into Ceuta during the final two days of July, according to Spanish authorities. The enclave, saw thousands of people swim across from neighbouring Morocco in one of the most significant migration emergencies to affect an EU territory.
Around 100 people were reported to have died during the crossings. Spain says approximately 70,000 of those who entered have since returned to Morocco, while Madrid has praised cooperation with Rabat over the returns.
The crisis has nevertheless created significant pressure on Ceuta and generated political tensions within the European Union over how member states should respond to the movement of migrants. Morocco’s Interior Ministry said on Wednesday that it was taking steps to prevent another large-scale movement and had increased security along its borders with both Ceuta and Melilla. Melilla is another Spanish enclave on Morocco’s northern coast.
Spanish authorities have also taken precautionary measures. The Civil Guard has installed a maritime barrier at Melilla’s southern breakwater, similar to the barrier already deployed along Ceuta’s maritime border with Morocco.
The measures follow reports of a coordinated online campaign encouraging migrants to make another attempt to cross into the Spanish territories. A digital intelligence company linked to the University of Alicante, Golden Owl, said that it had identified what it described as an organised online operation behind calls for another mass crossing. Spain’s Civil Guard has also prepared a six-page report examining the possibility of another attempt.
Social Media Platforms Under Scrutiny
The reported online campaign has prompted increased scrutiny of social media platforms, with European authorities seeking to limit the spread of information encouraging another mass crossing.
Golden Owl said increased monitoring and enforcement by social media companies had already affected the circulation of the reported August 15 call. The company said the “15 August date has effectively disappeared from Facebook, driven by Meta enforcement.”
Meta and TikTok have activated crisis protocols aimed at improving cooperation with fact-checkers and authorities over content linked to the crisis. The moves came after EU Technology Chief Henna Virkkunen called for greater monitoring and cooperation between platforms and other organisations involved in verifying information.
The European Commission said that it would hold another meeting with social media companies to discuss the online dimension of the situation. The Commission said it was engaging with the platforms on a daily basis to improve coordination and respond to information circulating online.
“Bringing in the fact-checkers will, in our view, make this work even more targeted and even more streamlined and coordinated in the context of this concrete crisis. And what we hear is that this cooperation is proving highly effective and action is being taken by the platforms on this basis.”
European Commission Spokesperson
The Commission also held a separate meeting with Spanish representatives to exchange information about the online aspects of the Ceuta situation.
The arrival of the EU migration experts reflects the broader European concern surrounding the situation in Ceuta, where local authorities have faced pressure from the scale of the July crossings.
For the European Commission, the immediate priority is to understand what support Spain requires while ensuring that border management and returns continue. The mission also provides EU officials with an opportunity to assess directly the humanitarian and logistical challenges facing Ceuta following the mass arrivals.
With the possibility of another attempt still being monitored, Spanish, Moroccan and European authorities are preparing for developments while seeking to prevent a repeat of the crisis that overwhelmed the enclave at the end of July.
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