EU migration chief Magnus Brunner has called on MEPs to adopt a stalled EU law on fighting people smuggling, saying it could help prevent migration crises like the one in the Spanish territory of Ceuta last week.
Speaking on Thursday, Brunner said the events in Ceuta "showed that there are actors who have no regard for the safety or even the lives, of innocent people," but that nonetheless, "we cannot accept such a breach of integrity of our external borders and violation also of the security of of the Union – and in that regard, the impact of criminal smuggling networks, both on people's lives and also on our security, of course."
"That is simply unacceptable," Brunner said. "I call [on] the Parliament to adopt its position [on] the anti-smuggling directive proposed by the European Commission almost three years ago."
Brunner addressed his remarks to an extraordinary parliamentary committee meeting in Brussels on Thursday aimed at examining the situation in Ceuta after more than 70,000 non-EU nationals entered the Spanish enclave in less than 24 hours last week. The meeting also featured Juan Jesús Vivas Lara, Mayor-President of Ceuta.
Investigations into the causes of the event are ongoing, but Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has accused people smugglers of causing the massive crossing.
