Spain ignores EU and prepares urgent transfer of 500 migrant girls from Ceuta to mainland

Key Points:

• Spain is urgently working on transferring 500 migrant girls who arrived in Ceuta during the mass influx on 30-31 July to mainland Spain, with plans including compulsory reception by autonomous communities or family placement.
• Child-protection organizations may manage the care of the most vulnerable minors in specialized mainland facilities without transferring guardianship to regional authorities.
• Some autonomous communities have refused to take in unaccompanied minors, prompting criticism from the central government for a lack of solidarity, while Morocco has requested the return of its citizens still in Ceuta.
• The Spanish government has allocated €25 million to support Ceuta, where safe spaces have been established to protect migrant girls from sexual violence, and over 2,100 minors have been identified and handed over to local authorities.
• The European Union supports returning unaccompanied minors to Morocco, emphasizing that such returns comply with EU law under the Return Directive and upcoming EU Return Regulation.