EU interior ministers convene emergency meeting over Ceuta migrant crossing

EU interior ministers held an emergency video meeting on Tuesday after around 60,000 migrants crossed into Ceuta, a small Spanish territory on the coast of North Africa.

Twenty-two of the EU's 27 countries signed a joint letter calling for stronger border controls and faster coordinated action. Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez criticised some member states, saying their response was "selfish and unlawful." Denmark's leader suggested pausing Schengen free-movement rules, but France said it would not support removing Spain from the agreement.

Spain's interior minister said most migrants had already left Ceuta by Tuesday and the situation was nearly back to normal. Spain also announced plans to build an inflatable barrier in the water to stop future crossings. Germany asked Morocco to take back irregular migrants without delay.