On 4 August 2026, EU Home Affairs Commissioner Magnus Brunner addressed the media following an informal meeting of interior ministers on the recent events in Ceuta, where over 70,000 people crossed into the Spanish enclave in a matter of hours, resulting in 75 deaths. Brunner stressed that the situation is under control, with no movement to mainland Spain and the Schengen area unaffected, and outlined a five-point path forward to prevent future incidents, including stronger migration diplomacy, swift returns, reinforced external borders, early-warning systems, and dismantling smuggling networks.
He also highlighted the need to adopt the global sanctions regime against migrant smugglers proposed in early July and to implement the new Common European Asylum System and Return Regulation, which entered into force on June 12.