• European Union interior ministers agree to step up efforts to combat migrant smuggling networks and improve social media monitoring following recent migrant surge in Ceuta.
• Around 72,000 people reached Ceuta from Morocco last week, with around 70,000 migrants returning to Morocco and a death toll of 75 reported by Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska.
• EU ministers express solidarity with Spain and emphasize the need to counter disinformation spread on social media platforms like TikTok to prevent similar migrant influxes in the future.

European Union interior ministers agreed on Tuesday to step up efforts to combat migrant smuggling networks, including through better social media monitoring, following a video conference on the recent migrant surge in the Spanish exclave of Ceuta.

The meeting was convened after tens of thousands of migrants reached the North African territory from Morocco last week, triggering a rift between Spain and several other EU member states.

"There was a common understanding of the need to continue relentlessly fighting migrant smuggling networks, to reinforce returns, to strengthen EU borders, to build deep partnerships with third countries, and to improve foresight," a news release said.

The ministers also agreed on the "need to improve shared situational awareness," including better social media monitoring.

Ministers also "pointed out that communication during moments of crisis could further be reinforced through timely coordination and should be more coherent, especially to counter malicious external actors engaged in foreign information manipulation and interference," the statement said.

Last week, around 72,000 people reached the tiny territory from Morocco, many by swimming. Around 70,000 of the migrants have now returned to Morocco, according to Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska. He said the death toll had risen to 75.

Solidarity follows harsh criticism

At the meeting, ministers "were united in expressing strong solidarity with Spain" and "appreciated the swift and effective efforts of Spanish authorities in responding to the situation in Ceuta," the statement said.

The tone following the conference call contrasted sharply with earlier criticism of the Spanish government of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez by several EU countries.

Reacting to events in Ceuta, 22 EU leaders who promote restrictive migration policies had scolded Madrid, arguing that the country's liberal policies could encourage further migration. Some member countries stepped up checks at borders with other EU countries.

Spain's left-wing government, in turn, accused the other member states of exploiting the crisis for political gain.

Disinformation spread on social media

EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner stressed that migrant arrivals in the EU have dropped sharply in the past years and that none of the people who arrived in Ceuta last week moved on to the mainland of Spain or other Schengen countries.

Brunner said that the Spanish authorities and Europol are investigating how the sudden influx of people was triggered and pointed to disinformation spread on social media.

Numerous migrants reported that they became aware of the allegedly open border to Spain through videos and posts on social media platforms such as TikTok.

Hope quickly spread that accommodation would be available in Ceuta and that onward travel to the Spanish mainland was within reach.

To prevent similar situations in future, EU ministers plan to monitor social media platforms more closely.

While the question remains why Morocco has not done more to prevent thousands of people from crossing into Ceuta, Brunner stressed the important role Rabat played in allowing people back to Morocco.

The commissioner said that negotiations for a new partnership agreement with Morocco are ongoing and that the topic of migration is part of the talks.

Ahead of the talks, the European Commission also suggested enhancing border management early-warning systems and improving financial support for Morocco.