The Diplomat in Spain

Center of Temporary Stays for Immigrants in Ceuta./ Photo: Cruz Blanca Foundation

The Diplomat. 03/07/2018

Yesterday, the European Commission approved additional emergency assistance of 45.6 million euros for Spain and Greece to help these two countries face their current immigration challenges.

According to the Commission, Spain will receive 25.6 million euros to improve the capacity of reception of immigrants in Ceuta and Melilla, and to help in return processes. The other 20 million will be given to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to improve the capacity of reception in Greece, especially in the island of Lesbos.

With these new funds, the Commission has already mobilized around one thousand million euros in emergency assistance for migration, within the current financial framework 2014-2020. This assistance has been allocated to the most affected States, such as Greece, Italy, Bulgaria, Croatia, Germany, Sweden and Spain.

In the case of Spain, 24.8 million euros of this additional assistance will be given to the Ministry of Employment, Migrations and Social Security and to the Spanish Red Cross to carry out a project of medical attention and food and roof supply for immigrants arriving in Ceuta and Melilla.

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The vast majority of this emergency fund will be allocated to assisting immigrants in Ceuta and Melilla

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Furthermore, another 720,000 euros will correspond to the Ministry of the Interior to improve the quality of the centers of return and infrastructures for return operations. Taking into account these items, the funds given to Spain to face migration, border and security management challenges amount to 692 million within the framework of the national programs for the period 2014-2020.

The leaders of the EU approved, during the last European Council -held on June 28 and 29 in Brussels and attended by the president of the Government, Pedro Sánchez-, a series of commitments relating to immigration that plan, among other measures, to financially support “all the efforts of the member States, especially Spain and the countries of origin and transit, to prevent illegal immigration”.