The European Commission is preparing an overhaul of the Schengen Visa Code for 2027. Possible additional fees, simplified procedures for some travellers and faster sanctions against third countries: the options under consideration could directly affect applicants in Morocco.
The police prefecture refused to regularize a Moroccan employed in the hotel industry since 2022 and had issued him an OQTF. The Paris Administrative Court of Appeal overturned its decisions, ordered the issuance of a residence permit and ordered the state to pay him 1,200 euros.
Nearly a year before the mass crossings into Ceuta in July, a study published במסגרת the Spanish Ministry of Defence described a scenario in which thousands of people would enter the enclave simultaneously, without direct military intervention by Morocco.
The European Commission wants to establish an exceptional mechanism allowing asylum procedures to be temporarily tightened and expulsions accelerated in the event of mass arrivals. The Ceuta crisis is to serve as a reference for this future mechanism.
A Moroccan man held in detention in the Netherlands says he wants to return voluntarily to Morocco after retrieving his diplomas and driving licence left in Spain. The court nevertheless refuses to release him, considering that the risk of absconding remains too high.
Belgium has already expelled 233 convicted people to Morocco since January, a record. But in Schaerbeek, only 8% of people without residence permits who are detained actually leave the country, according to municipal authorities.
Spaniards are calling for greater control in Ceuta and Melilla, without sacrificing cooperation with Rabat. According to the latest CIS barometer, 86.3 % consider understanding with Morocco important, while 82.2 % want to strengthen the borders.
The migration crisis in Sebta has revived calls for tighter border controls. However, an analysis published in Spain highlights a persistent contradiction: the European economy continues to need foreign workers, while legal immigration opportunities remain insufficient.
Moroccan convicts are allegedly deliberately concealing their passports to block their return to Morocco. The practice is described by several Spanish public prosecutors’ offices, which accuse Moroccan consulates of systematically requiring the original document before agreeing to readmission.
A trip to Morocco planned for December for fifteen Spanish women has been cancelled. Frightened by the migration crisis in Ceuta, the participants preferred to withdraw, while several agencies in Zaragoza are reporting a slowdown in bookings to the kingdom.
Morocco says it is prepared to take back the minors who arrived irregularly in Sebta and criticizes Spain for not returning them. Madrid responds that around 600 older procedures remain blocked due to a lack of response from the Moroccan authorities.
Morocco appears on the European Union’s new list of safe countries of origin. As a result, asylum applications filed by its nationals may be examined more quickly at the border, with an unfavorable presumption that makes it more difficult to obtain protection.