Rabat – The European Union will send a technical mission to Ceuta this week to assess the situation in the Spanish enclave after tens of thousands of people crossed into the city irregularly during the mass migration crisis at the end of July.
Spain’s Interior Ministry said the decision followed a phone call on Friday between Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska and European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner.
The visit will give EU officials a closer look at the pressure faced by local authorities and help identify where additional European support is needed. Spain has asked several EU agencies for assistance as it deals with the aftermath of the unprecedented influx.
According to European sources cited by Spanish media, the mission does not concern a request for emergency funding.
Instead, EU experts will assess conditions in Ceuta before determining how agencies such as Frontex, Europol, and the EU Agency for Asylum can strengthen their support for Spain.
Grande-Marlaska thanked the European Commission for its response and pointed to progress in the identification of migrants and the processing of asylum claims, particularly for those who may qualify for international protection.
The assessment comes as authorities continue to deal with the large number of arrivals, with migrant identification and asylum procedures among the main challenges facing Ceuta.
Spain has requested €32 million in European assistance to help address the consequences of the migration crisis.
