[Choi Junyoung's World+] Ceuta Awakens the 'Fractures of Europe'

50,000 Moroccans Enter Spanish Territory of Ceuta
Conflict Between Morocco and Algeria Over Western Sahara
22 EU Member States Sign Joint Statement Targeting Spain
Italy, Finland, and Denmark Join In... Pressure to Suspend Schengen Agreemen

At the end of July, more than 50,000 Moroccans from the country neighboring Ceuta, a Spanish territory in Africa, entered the enclave all at once. Spain, which still holds territories such as Ceuta and Melilla in North Africa, forms a single border with other countries under the Schengen Agreement. This means that, in theory, once people enter Spanish territory, they are able to move freely to other countries, and as a result, there have been periodic large-scale influxes of refugees.

Europe, which experienced turmoil from a large-scale refugee crisis after 2010, has become increasingly alarmed about facing another surge of refugees. Fortunately, most of the Moroccans have since returned home, and Moroccan military and police forces have moved to strengthen the border, so the situation appears—at least for now—to have settled as a short-term incident. Still, the crisis reveals the complex circumstances spanning Spain, the European Union (EU), and Africa.

The most widely cited cause of this crisis is the conflict between Morocco and Algeria over Western Sahara. The vast desert region along the southern Atlantic coast of Morocco was a Spanish colony until 1975. After Spain’s withdrawal, Morocco incorporated the territory as its own. In response, the indigenous Sahrawis of the region formed a pro-independence group called the Polisario Front and confronted Morocco. Algeria, which is competing with Morocco for regional dominance, supported these forces, making the Western Sahara issue a longstanding source of tension between the two nations.

Amid these circumstances, in 2022, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez broke with the country’s tradition of neutrality and officially expressed support for an autonomy plan for Western Sahara, effectively recognizing Morocco’s claim to the territory. This infuriated Algeria, a major supplier of natural gas to Europe, and led to the suspension of a friendship treaty with Spain. Relations between the two nations, which had remained frozen, were dramatically revived late last month when Sanchez visited Algeria for the first time in four years, on July 20. Morocco, feeling threatened by the possible collapse of its diplomatic advantage, was plunged into a sense of crisis. Against this backdrop, analysts say Morocco orchestrated a large-scale mobilization to create chaos at the border in order to pressure Spain. The intent was to force political concessions by applying pressure to Spanish territories that are difficult for Spain to control in practice.

If this was indeed Morocco’s intention, it appears to have achieved, to some extent, the desired results. Of the 27 EU member states, 22 signed a joint statement specifically targeting Spain in response to the border breakdown. The declaration, spearheaded by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen—both known for their strong anti-immigration stance—emphasized that “no signal should be sent suggesting illegal entry can lead to legal residency.” Italy went as far as announcing a suspension of its Schengen border agreement with Spain, a move supported by Finland and Denmark. The Schengen Agreement minimizes internal borders among European countries to facilitate free movement based on common entry and exit management policies. The European Commission added further pressure, clarifying, “Suspending the Schengen Agreement is an exceptional measure permitted only in the face of a major security threat.”

On the 31st of last month (local time), migrants who had entered Ceuta, a Spanish territory, are returning to Morocco. More than 50,000 people gathered at once in this incident, resulting in over 70 fatalities, reigniting the immigration debate in Europe. Photo by AP Yonhap News

Increasingly isolated, Prime Minister Sanchez has responded to the sudden influx of about 50,000 unauthorized migrants from Morocco into Spain’s North African territory of Ceuta by accusing EU partners of acting in a “selfish” and “illegal” manner. However, it is clear that Spain finds itself in a weak and defensive position. There is a sense of injustice in Madrid’s response: large-scale influxes into Ceuta have occurred periodically—including an incident in 2021 when about 8,000 people crossed the border. At that time, it was regarded as a purely domestic matter for Spain. This time, however, the situation was different. What had changed was the mood within the EU. Anti-immigration sentiment has become much more pervasive, and politicians in various member states, facing upcoming elections, have actively seized on this issue, dramatically amplifying its impact.

Morocco may have succeeded in pressuring Spain, but it has now found itself facing demands from the EU to review their agreements. The EU has long requested that Morocco act as a bulwark against migrants arriving from sub-Saharan Africa, and, in return, Morocco has received fishing rights, preferential tariffs for agricultural products, and financial support not offered to other African countries. However, this time, those crossing the border were Moroccan nationals. If Morocco is no longer seen as a trustworthy partner helping to prevent illegal immigration from other countries but instead as the source of mass migration by its own citizens, the situation could quickly change. For Morocco, which is heavily dependent on Europe, any change in the EU's approach not only threatens severe economic consequences, but could also aggravate domestic issues such as high youth unemployment and widening regional disparities.

On the other hand, this crisis is serving as a test for the continued cohesion of an increasingly fragile European Union. One of the EU’s fundamental pillars is the guarantee of open borders and free movement. In order for this to be sustained, the external border must be robustly maintained to block unauthorized entry from outside Europe. Whether the border control measures Italy and France imposed on Spain will remain temporary, or whether such measures spread to other EU member states, will be a litmus test for European integration. For Spain, already in a difficult situation due to worsening relations with the United States, this crisis is particularly troubling.

We tend to think of borders drawn on maps, and even continents separated by the sea, as distinct and disconnected entities. That is because we live within the boundaries of clearly defined and controlled borders. Yet, as this recent episode shows, a web of complex relationships exists just beyond the visible lines, and a variety of interests are in constant collision. Many of the world’s affairs may appear to exist in isolation, but in reality they are closely interlinked and continuously influencing one another. Keeping this in mind, the ongoing developments in this crisis may appear different when viewed from a wider perspective.

Choi Junyoung, Senior Research Fellow at Yulchon LLC

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.