The Spanish Government has requested support from the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) and Europol from the European Commission to carry out the screening of migrants remaining in the Spanish autonomous city of Ceuta. This request was made after the massive migratory flow that occurred in Ceuta in the month of May, when thousands of people crossed the border irregularly.
The Spanish Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, sent a letter to the Director-General for Migration and Home Affairs of the European Commission, Beate Gminder, formally requesting this support. The letter comes in response to a proposal that Gminder had previously made to the Ambassador of Spain to the European Union.
With this measure, the Spanish authorities intend to accelerate the process of identification and screening of migrants who arrived in Ceuta, in order to determine which ones are entitled to international protection and which ones should be returned to their country of origin. The support from European agencies aims to reinforce the operational capacity of Spanish authorities in managing this migratory crisis.
Ceuta is one of the two Spanish autonomous cities located on the north coast of Africa, being one of the external borders of the European Union. The city has been frequently targeted by irregular entry attempts, becoming a critical point in European migration policy.
