“This episode clearly shows that we need to go further in strengthening our borders at the most critical points,” von der Leyen wrote in a letter dated today to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, according to copies seen by AFP and Reuters.

Among the measures she proposes are increased border surveillance and, where necessary, the use of physical barriers.

However, the European Commission president stressed that “the protection of all our external borders is a shared European responsibility.”

The unprecedented influx of migrants who forcibly entered the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in North Africa sparked significant tensions among the EU’s 27 member states.

Following images of tens of thousands of people entering the enclave irregularly from Morocco, several member states, led by Italy and Denmark, called for Spain’s suspension from the Schengen Area, prompting a strong reaction from Madrid.

Condemning what it described as the “selfish” stance of several countries, Spain requested an extraordinary meeting of EU interior ministers.

The meeting is expected to take place via videoconference on Tuesday.

The discussion will seek to draw lessons from the Ceuta crisis and examine a common European response to the challenges posed by irregular migration, von der Leyen said, adding that several options are under consideration.

“In cooperation with Spain, particularly regarding Ceuta and Melilla [Spain’s other North African enclave], we could strengthen early warning systems for border management and enhance our technical and financial support for Morocco,” she wrote in the letter.

In recent months, Brussels has tightened its migration rules, notably allowing member states to transfer asylum seekers to reception centers located outside the EU’s borders, the so-called “return hubs.”