Nearly all of the migrants who arrived in Ceuta have now returned to Morocco, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said, declaring the crisis effectively over after an influx of at least 50,000 people.
"Almost all of those who had arrived in Ceuta have since returned to Morocco," Albares wrote on X.
Albares said the integrity of the Schengen area had been maintained and that it was not possible to reach the Spanish mainland without identification, responding to criticism from other EU member states.
He criticized what he called "interest-driven confusion" surrounding the crisis, without directly naming any particular government. Italy had announced earlier it would temporarily suspend the Schengen agreement on free movement with Spain.
EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner wrote on X that Albares had told him in a phone call that "practically all those who had entered Ceuta have returned ... Not a single person has crossed to mainland EU." He said the two would remain in close contact.
EU member state experts are due to meet on Saturday to discuss developments, a spokesman for the Irish Council Presidency said. A meeting of EU ambassadors is to follow on Monday to assess the situation and facilitate coordination.