NEW PLAN ENVISAGES STRENGTHENING OF EXTERNAL BORDER CONTROLS

BRUSSELS, SEPTEMBER 29 /SRNA/ - EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner has presented a comprehensive plan to strengthen controls at the EU's external borders following a chaotic influx of migrants into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta.

The plan, which requires approval from member states, envisages strengthening the mandate of Frontex, the EU border protection agency, as well as establishing a permanent force ready for rapid deployment.

Frontex would work closely with EU member states, play a greater role in returning irregular migrants and expand its capacity to monitor external borders and border areas.

The package of measures also includes early-warning systems for border breaches, efforts to combat human smuggling and greater assistance to migrants’ countries of origin, although Brunner did not provide details on the costs or resources required.

He noted that the number of illegal border crossings is at its lowest level since 2021, despite the July incident in which more than 72,000 people from Morocco entered Ceuta, with many of them drowning or being killed in a stampede.

Most later returned, but the incident triggered strong reactions from Italy and calls from other EU member states for better border controls.

People who legally enter any country in the Schengen Area can, in theory, move freely through all 29 countries in the zone, although Ceuta, where around 10,000 irregular migrants remain, is not part of it.

"We will see how this works, but we support everything the Spanish government is doing to return people who are illegally in Ceuta," Brunner said.