The European Union should use all available leverage, including visa policy and trade, to secure greater cooperation from Morocco on migration, EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner has said.
Brunner made the remarks on Thursday during a European Parliament committee meeting, following a major movement of migrants into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in North Africa.
According to Spanish authorities, about 72,000 migrants entered Ceuta last week in one of the largest movements of people into EU territory in recent years.
“One very important reminder from Ceuta is that to have control, we must cooperate with our neighbours,” Brunner said.
He warned that the EU remained vulnerable if control of migration depended heavily on the goodwill of a single neighbouring country.
The EU has increasingly relied on agreements with North African countries to reduce irregular migration. These agreements often involve financial support and other incentives in exchange for tighter border controls and cooperation on returning migrants.
However, critics argue that the approach leaves the bloc vulnerable to pressure from transit countries, which can loosen or threaten to loosen migration controls while seeking political or economic concessions.
Brunner said the EU must strengthen cooperation with third countries on returns and readmission while using all available tools to build effective partnerships.
Meanwhile, Ceuta Mayor Juan Jesús Vivas told lawmakers that around 100 people had died during the mass border crossing and that between 3,000 and 5,000 migrants remained in the enclave.
“I reiterate this today, having seen what I have seen: Morocco is not a reliable country,” Vivas said.
He argued that responsibility for Europe’s only land border with Africa should be overseen by European authorities rather than Morocco.
