Merz warns EU irregular migration battle far from over despite drop

Irregular migration means entering or staying in a country outside its normal immigration rules, often without required permission. Applying for asylum is different: it is a legal request for protection from persecution or serious harm, and people may seek it even after irregular arrival.

Ceuta shows the distinction clearly. At the end of July, about 80,000 migrants entered Spain’s Ceuta from Morocco, while Austria called for more legal options during mass arrivals. EU rules do not allow a complete suspension of asylum applications, because non-refoulement bars returns to persecution, torture, or other serious rights violations.

Arrivals have declined, but Friedrich Merz still calls irregular migration one of Europe’s biggest problems. Most Ceuta arrivals reportedly returned voluntarily, yet at least 140 people died trying to reach the enclave. The practical challenge is controlling unauthorized movement while still examining protection claims and avoiding dangerous returns.

Ceuta experienced a mass movement of people from Morocco into Spain’s North African exclave. At the end of July, an estimated 80,000 migrants entered, creating a major test for European migration policy.

Most arrivals returned voluntarily to Morocco within a very short time, according to Spain’s government. At least 140 people died while trying to reach Ceuta, although aid organizations reported a significantly higher figure.

The episode intensified calls for stronger emergency powers during sudden mass arrivals. Austria and Greece wanted more legal room to reject asylum applications, but EU rules protect the right to seek asylum. They also prohibit sending people to places where persecution, torture, or serious rights abuses threaten them.

Merz says lower arrivals have not solved the wider strain migration places on European societies. He argues irregular migration remains one of Europe’s biggest problems, because governments still face pressure over border control, asylum processing, and public capacity.

The Ceuta episode shows why the issue remains politically urgent. At the end of July, about 80,000 migrants entered Spain’s Ceuta enclave from Morocco, although most soon returned voluntarily. At least 140 people died attempting the journey, while aid groups reported a higher figure. Austria’s Christian Stocker and Greece therefore want stronger legal tools for mass arrivals, including possible limits on accepting asylum claims.

The current rules do not allow a complete suspension of the right to seek asylum. Non-refoulement also bars returning people to places where they face persecution, torture, or other serious rights abuses. Thus, fewer arrivals may ease immediate pressure, but Europe still needs lawful ways to manage sudden surges while protecting people from dangerous return.

The EU’s new asylum rules aim to replace uneven national responses with a more coordinated migration system. They seek more consistent handling of arrivals, shared responsibility, and quicker asylum decisions. The article does not list every measure in the package.

Ceuta shows why the overhaul matters: about 80,000 migrants entered from Morocco by late July. Most reportedly returned voluntarily, but at least 140 people died attempting the journey. Austria wants rules allowing countries to reject applications during mass arrivals. Greece supports a similar option.

However, current EU rules do not allow a complete suspension of asylum applications. Non-refoulement bars returns to places where people face persecution, torture, or other serious abuses. Greece suspended applications for three months in 2025, but Merz says Europe still faces a major challenge despite fewer arrivals.

Austria and Greece want a legal emergency switch for sudden, large-scale arrivals. They argue governments need to pause accepting asylum applications when arrivals overwhelm border systems and societies. Their aim is more control during a crisis, rather than relying on rules designed for normal processing.

The debate followed the Ceuta episode, when about 80,000 migrants entered Spain’s enclave from Morocco by late July. Most reportedly returned voluntarily, but at least 140 people died trying to reach Ceuta. Austria’s Chancellor Christian Stocker called for a right to refuse applications in such situations. Greece supports the same idea after suspending asylum examinations for three months in 2025.

That option does not currently exist fully under EU migration rules. The law still protects the right to seek asylum and bars returns to places involving persecution, torture, or other rights abuses. The practical dispute is whether emergencies justify a new legal exception without violating those protections.

If an EU country fully suspended asylum applications, migrants could be denied the normal chance to request protection. They might be stopped or returned. Yet a rule called non-refoulement bars sending anyone to persecution, torture, or other serious human-rights abuse.

Ceuta shows why this matters. About 80,000 migrants entered from Morocco at the end of July, and at least 140 died trying. Austria’s Christian Stocker wants a legal right to reject asylum applications during mass arrivals. Greece is seeking similar rules.

EU rules currently do not allow a complete suspension. Greece nevertheless paused examining claims twice. Most recently, it did so for three months in 2025, after more boats from Libya reached Crete and Gavdos. Thus, a full suspension would create uncertainty but could not lawfully erase the non-refoulement safeguard.

Non-refoulement means governments must not send people to a country where they face persecution, torture, or other serious human-rights violations. It matters because even during a sudden border crisis, people cannot simply be returned to danger without protection safeguards.

After an estimated 80,000 migrants entered Spain’s Ceuta from Morocco at July's end, most reportedly returned voluntarily. Yet at least 140 people died trying to reach Ceuta, and aid groups estimated a higher toll. The principle means authorities must check whether return is safe; they cannot treat every arrival as automatically returnable.

That rule does not create a full right to remain or prevent all removals. But EU migration rules do not permit completely suspending the right to apply for asylum. Greece suspended examination twice, most recently for three months in 2025, showing the tension: governments seek emergency powers, while non-refoulement sets a legal safety limit.