The heads of State and Government of the European Union have focused this Friday on the "special situation" of Ceuta and Melilla as the "only" land border of the European Union with Africa, within a text of conclusions in which the "solidarity" of the Twenty-Seven is also noted following the massive entry of migrants recorded at the end of July.
In the specific section dedicated to the two autonomous cities, "The European Council emphasizes the specific situation of Ceuta and Melilla, which have the only border of the European Union with the African continent," the document approved by the leaders at the end of the summit held over two days in Brussels states.
The text avoids framing the crisis in Ceuta within the general chapter on migration in Europe and opts to mention it in a differentiated point, in which the European Council "expresses its solidarity and support with Spain regarding the sudden massive entry of migrants to Ceuta on July 30 and 31, 2026."
The reference from the leaders concludes by positively assessing the financial and operational support of the community institutions to Spain to address this episode, "given the specific situation of Ceuta and Melilla."
In the press conference following the summit, the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, emphasized that "Europe is today more present than it has ever been in Ceuta and Melilla, because both cities are also Europe."
"Obviously, there is still much to be done, but I believe that it is a very important step that we have taken from a political point of view with these conclusions and the recognition by the leaders and also by the community institutions," concluded the head of the Executive.