On the recent hybrid attacks and instrumentalisation of migrants in Ceuta and the need for a coordinated response to protect the EU’s external borders

–having regard to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and its Member States, of the one part, and the Kingdom of Morocco, of the other part, which entered into force in 2000, and the amended protocols thereto,

–having regard to the Agreement between the Kingdom of Spain and the Kingdom of Morocco on cooperation in the field of prevention of illegal emigration of unaccompanied minors, their protection and their concerted return, which was signed in Rabat on 6 March 2007 and entered into force on 2 October 2012,

–having regard to its resolution of 3 May 2018 on the protection of children in migration,

–having regard to its resolution of 10 June 2021 on the breach of the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child and the use of minors by Moroccan authorities in the migratory crisis in Ceuta,

–having regard to Rule 136(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.whereas on 30 and 31 July 2026 there was a sudden and exceptional irregular arrival of around 80 000 people from Morocco into the autonomous Spanish city of Ceuta;

B.whereas, over those two days, at least 141 people lost their lives at sea trying to reach Ceuta;

C.whereas within the following two days, around 70 000 people who had arrived irregularly voluntarily returned to Morocco, following close cooperation between the Spanish and Moroccan authorities; whereas a further 5 000 people returned to Morocco within seven days;

D.whereas approximately 5 000 irregular migrants remain in Ceuta, of whom around 1 200 are unaccompanied minors;

E.whereas Ceuta and Melilla form part of Spanish and European territory and their borders are external borders of the EU, which require effective protection that takes into account their specific geographic situation and needs;

F.whereas many of those who arrived irregularly in Ceuta were victims of false information and exploitation by criminal networks who provided a distorted interpretation of a judgment of the Spanish Supreme Court and disseminated misleading messages through social media;

G.whereas, in accordance with Article 41 of the Schengen Borders Code, specific rules apply in respect of Ceuta and Melilla, meaning that those arriving irregularly in Ceuta cannot and could not travel onwards to the Spanish mainland or to other Member States of the Schengen area or the EU;

H.whereas, despite the fact that the people who had arrived could not travel onwards from Ceuta, the Italian Government introduced internal border controls (under the Schengen Borders Code) between Italy and Spain from 1 August 2026 until 1 September 2026, and have since prolonged those controls until 16 September 2026;

I.whereas, on 1 August 2026, the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchéz, sent a letter to the Irish Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, calling for the Irish Presidency to convene, as a matter of urgency, an extraordinary meeting of the Ministers of the Interior;

J.whereas, also on 1 August 2026, 22 heads of state and government wrote to the Council President, Antonio Costa, Commission President, Ursula Von der Leyen and the Irish Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, representing the Presidency of the Council of the EU, calling on the Irish Presidency to convene an urgent meeting of the Ministers of the Interior;

K.whereas an informal video conference of the Ministers of the Interior took place on Tuesday 4 August 2026, and at that meeting the Member States and Schengen associated countries expressed their strong solidarity with Spain and appreciated the swift and effective efforts of the Spanish authorities in responding to the situation in Ceuta;

L.whereas its Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs held an extraordinary committee meeting on Thursday, 6 August 2026 to discuss the events together with Commissioner Brunner and the Mayor-President of Ceuta, Juan Jesús Vivas;

M whereas Spanish Law 4/2000 on Foreign Nationals in Spain establishes the legal framework governing the distribution of unaccompanied minors among Spain’s regions where a region is experiencing a situation of extraordinary migratory contingency;

1.Expresses its deep regret and sorrow for the 141 people who died at sea during the events of 30 and 31 July 2026; recalls, in that regard, that migrants exploited by hostile international actors are victims;

2.Considers that the events in Ceuta constituted a hybrid attack on the EU’s territorial integrity, brought about by hostile international actors, together with criminal smugglers and traffickers, who convinced people to go to Ceuta, in the hope of dividing Europe; emphasises, however, that people who crossed the border must not be reduced to instruments of geopolitical strategy or treated as a mere means to an end;

3.Restates its firm support of multilateralism and the rules-based international order, noting that any attempt to undermine the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of Spain violates international law and the UN Charter;

4.Recalls that Ceuta is an EU external border whose protection and security concerns the whole of the EU; welcomes the Commission’s decision to grant emergency funding of EUR 114.7 million to Spain, from the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund and the Instrument for Border Management and Visa Policy, to address the situation in Ceuta; calls for sustained, structural long-term funding at EU level for the appropriate infrastructure to be developed in Ceuta, allowing it to provide additional shelter capacity, particularly for unaccompanied minors;

5.Expresses its dismay at the initial reaction of some Member States, which was tantamount to blaming Spain and the Spanish Government for the unprecedented arrival of such a large number of people in Ceuta;

6.Emphasises that solidarity between Member States, and the full engagement of the EU and its institutions, agencies and bodies, is the only answer to addressing such hybrid attacks, irrespective of which Member State is targeted; reiterates that a lack of solidarity now only makes Europe weaker and future hybrid attacks more likely;

7.Expresses its full solidarity with the citizens of Ceuta and with Spain, and applauds the efficient and professional response of the Spanish security forces in the autonomous city in helping to save lives, as well as helping the citizens of Ceuta to cope with the events; welcomes the protection being provided to unaccompanied minors by the Spanish authorities in accordance with EU law and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child;

8.Expresses strong solidarity with Spain, as it has done for other Member States targeted by hybrid attacks; reiterates the need for Spain to effectively protect the EU’s external borders, in compliance with relevant international law, in particular the Geneva Convention;

9.Welcomes the fact that, during the informal video conference of Ministers of the Interior on 4 August 2026, the Member States and Schengen associated countries expressed strong solidarity with Spain, and that the ministers appreciated the swift and effective efforts of the Spanish authorities in responding to the situation;

10.Notes that the existing cooperation mechanisms between Spain and Morocco enabled the swift return of the great majority of those who had crossed irregularly; notes that this cooperation was essential to de-escalating the situation and preventing further loss of life; recalls the importance of strong, constructive and mutually beneficial partnerships with non-EU countries;

11.Recalls that, under Article 41 of the Schengen Borders Code and the declaration by the Kingdom of Spain on the cities of Ceuta and Melilla in the Final Act to the Agreement on the Accession of the Kingdom of Spain to the Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement of 14 June 1985, specific rules apply in respect of Ceuta and Melilla, meaning that those arriving irregularly in Ceuta cannot travel freely onwards to the Spanish mainland or to other EU Member States or Schengen associated countries; underlines that the Schengen area was never at risk;

12.Criticises the decision of Italy to immediately introduce internal border controls with Spain as of 1 August 2026, based on the events in Ceuta, despite the fact that those arriving irregularly could not travel onwards to Spain or another Schengen state; considers such a decision as neither necessary nor proportionate; notes with regret that the internal border controls have been prolonged until 16 September 2026;

13.Recognises that approximately 1 200 unaccompanied children are still in Ceuta; considers that they must be treated in accordance with EU law, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and, in line with EU values, with compassion; calls, in that respect, on the Spanish regional authorities to comply with Spanish Law 4/2000 on Foreign Nationals in Spain, which establishes the legal framework governing the distribution of unaccompanied foreign minors among Spain’s regions where a region is experiencing a situation of extraordinary migratory contingency, and to agree to relocate unaccompanied foreign minors from Ceuta to allow for a fair distribution throughout Spain, as prescribed by law;

14.Considers that disinformation networks, criminal smugglers and human traffickers (and their enablers) are responsible for the events that unfolded in Ceuta; underlines the need for the EU to step up its efforts in fighting disinformation, criminal smuggling and trafficking;

15.Emphasises that when responding to such events, Member States must respect EU and international law, in particular the Geneva Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, as well as EU law on asylum and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union; calls on the Spanish Government to continue to treat unaccompanied minors and vulnerable people with respect and in accordance with the law;

16.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.