22 EU leaders press Spain over migration policy after Ceuta border surge (politico.eu)

• 22 EU leaders signed a letter challenging Spain's migration policy after Ceuta crossings.
• Sánchez rejected the pull-factor claim and defended the regularization scheme.
• Italy imposed restrictions from Spain; France increased border checks; ministers to meet.

"Twenty-two EU leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, wrote to EU institutions warning that Spain's regularization of up to 1.2 million undocumented migrants may have acted as a pull factor behind the surge of some 50,000 unauthorized crossings into Ceuta in late July. They called for coordinated action, stronger external borders, and possible temporary internal border controls. Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez rejected the accusation, citing the scheme's residency conditions and noting Spain recorded half as many irregular entries as Italy. He called the debate over Spain's temporary Schengen exclusion 'selfish' and 'unlawful.' Almost all arrivals have returned to Morocco."