The Spanish government, led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, is preparing a decree-law aimed at shortening administrative and judicial procedures for migrants in Ceuta. This move follows a mass arrival of migrants from Morocco in July. The decree-law is expected to be presented to the Council of Ministers soon and will focus on reducing the time required to process international protection requests.
The proposed decree-law will prioritize certain international protection cases and shorten appeal periods, allowing authorities to quickly return people whose asylum applications have been rejected. Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska stated that only around 1% of international protection applications submitted by Moroccan nationals are ultimately approved. This suggests that many migrants will be eligible for return.
The Spanish government has been working to increase the number of cases processed each day by deploying additional personnel to Ceuta. Since August 10, more than 7,000 people have returned to Morocco, including 6,791 voluntary returns and 318 expulsions. The government aims to prevent asylum procedures from delaying returns for months once an application has been rejected.
The mass arrival in Ceuta led to a significant influx of migrants, with tens of thousands entering the Spanish-administered enclave from Morocco. Spanish authorities have since accelerated the processing of migrants' cases, while those who remain in Ceuta continue to undergo identification and administrative procedures to determine their legal status.
The planned decree-law will allow Madrid to move more quickly through cases, particularly where protection claims are rejected, and the individuals concerned become eligible for return. The measure is expected to be presented to the Council of Ministers next week, although its final provisions could still change before approval.
The Spanish government has been working with Moroccan authorities on returns, and the two countries have been cooperating on migration issues. The decree-law is part of Spain's efforts to manage the flow of migrants and ensure that those who do not meet the requirements for international protection are returned to Morocco.
The proposed decree-law has not been met with widespread criticism, but its implementation will be closely watched by human rights groups and other stakeholders. The Spanish government has emphasized its commitment to ensuring that migrants are treated fairly and in accordance with international law.
Key points
- The proposed decree-law aims to reduce the time required to process international protection requests and accelerate returns to Morocco.
- Over 7,000 people have returned to Morocco since August 10, including 6,791 voluntary returns and 318 expulsions.
- The decree-law will prioritize certain international protection cases and shorten appeal periods.
