EU reaffirms migration cooperation with Morocco amid Ceuta fallout

Wednesday 30 September 2026 - 08:30

The European Commission has reaffirmed the importance of its migration partnership with Morocco as European institutions continue to address the consequences of the large-scale irregular crossings into Ceuta in July.

Speaking during a European Parliament petitions committee discussion on the situation in the Spanish enclave, a senior official from the Commission’s Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs described Morocco as an important strategic partner for the European Union. The official said cooperation between Brussels and Rabat had produced concrete results and would continue, particularly in migration management and the fight against human trafficking.

The statement comes as the EU seeks to strengthen coordination with Morocco and Spain following the exceptional migration episode in Ceuta.

Brussels points to decline in irregular crossings

According to figures presented by the Commission official, irregular crossings along the Western Mediterranean and Atlantic routes fell by 42% in 2025 compared with the previous year.

The downward trend continued during the first half of 2026, when crossings on those routes were reportedly 34% lower than during the same period of 2025. The figures, however, preceded the mass arrival of migrants in Ceuta at the end of July.

The episode subsequently placed migration management between Spain, Morocco and the EU under renewed scrutiny.

The European Parliament has since adopted a resolution calling for stronger protection of the EU’s external borders and closer cooperation with Morocco on migration management, returns and readmission.

Spain-Morocco coordination remains central

The Commission has backed closer coordination between Spain and Morocco in responding to the situation, particularly concerning people who do not have a legal right to remain in EU territory.

The issue of returns has become a significant element of the European response to the Ceuta crisis. In its September resolution, the European Parliament called for the effective return of people without a right to remain, while stressing that such procedures must comply with European and international law.

The EU’s broader migration strategy also places considerable emphasis on partnerships with countries outside the bloc. The Commission's latest migration review identifies cooperation with partner countries on border management, migrant smuggling, returns, readmission and legal migration routes as central elements of its approach.

Ceuta puts partnership under renewed scrutiny

The July events dramatically raised the profile of migration management around Ceuta. European Parliament research described the episode as an unprecedented mass crossing and highlighted the pressure it placed on border management, reception capacity and the wider European migration system.

The European Parliament subsequently called on Morocco to honour its commitments as an EU partner in the areas of border management, returns and migration cooperation. The resolution also urged the EU and its member states to reinforce their capacity to respond to major border crises.

At the same time, the Commission has continued to frame cooperation with Morocco as part of a longer-term strategy rather than solely as a response to the Ceuta crisis.

A partnership extending beyond border controls

EU-Morocco migration cooperation covers more than the prevention of irregular crossings. European programmes have also focused on combating migrant-smuggling networks, supporting border-management capabilities, facilitating voluntary returns and reintegration, and developing legal migration channels.

For Brussels, maintaining operational cooperation with Rabat is therefore an important component of its broader Western Mediterranean migration policy.

The renewed emphasis on cooperation comes at a particularly sensitive moment. While the overall data cited by the Commission indicate a decline in irregular crossings on the Western Mediterranean and Atlantic routes before the Ceuta episode, the scale of the July crisis has prompted European institutions to reassess border preparedness and coordination.

The coming months are likely to test how effectively the EU, Spain and Morocco can translate their established cooperation mechanisms into practical arrangements for border management, combating trafficking and handling returns.