“Ceuta cannot be a sacrificial pawn”: they ask to reinforce the European status of the autonomous city

The deepening of the role of the autonomous city of Ceuta in the European Union has been a common point among the participants in the round table ‘Placing Ceuta in Spain’, celebrated during the Spanish Economic Forum organized by THE SPANISH e Invertia with the sponsorship of the Government of Ceuta and the Chamber of Commerce.

The political analyst of the Representation of the European Commission in Spain, Juan Luis Ballesteros, has begun by defending that in the matter of migration the two great obstacles are to solve the internal rules between countries of the European Union and the collaboration with the countries of origin of the immigrants.

The Citizens MEP Jordi Cañas has advocated for assuming that the autonomous city is part of the EU: “The question is how Ceuta wants to participate in that reality. We always look to Europe expecting something, a passive attitude.”

He has listed the debates that the city must face: if it should have its own voice in the Committee of Regions, if it should be part of the space Schengen, if you should join the customs union and even if you want to be able to relate to the EU with a status assimilated to that of the outermost regions.

“Ceuta is united to Europe in all aspects, only it is not hooked on the customs union”, has defended the president of the Confederation of Employers of Ceuta, Bhagwan Dhanwani, which has suggested that being part of such a union could mean losing the current tax regime.

The Minister of the Presidency and Institutional Relations of the Autonomous City, Mabel gave, has argued that “Ceuta is Spain and Ceuta is Europe” with the particularity of multicultural wealth, so it has emphasized the recognition of the European border with the rest of the African continent.

“We are not for the future or for much debate. We must separate: the customs union, be very careful. That requires a very deep study, because it can lead to changes that not even the flag pole remains here “, expressed the CEO of Hélity, Antonio Diego Barranco placeholder image: “Be careful with the things to eat and with Europe.”

Barranco has proposed, however, that the autonomous city does form part of the Schengen area: “We are going to stop imaginative formulas, debates and future possibilities. This you have to do it now. We cannot keep looking at Morocco. “

“Ceuta can never be again a sacrificial pawn in any kind of party. It has to be a piece of board that we protect “, has raised Jordi Cañas, who has underlined the importance of listening and reflection:” I don’t know if the customs union seems good or bad to me. There hasn’t been a impact study about what the different scenarios on the customs union would mean “, he had an impact.

Cañas has wondered why, while the French or Dutch territories do appear in the plans for Latin America, Ceuta and Melilla are not taken into account in the European strategy regarding Africa: “Why? Because it’s not in the mainstream!”, has said.

“Since the last crisis, the social agents have agreed on almost all of them. They are calm and fast debates, we will lose everything if we do not arrive on time“, ha señalado Bhagwan Dhanwani.

Antonio Diego Barranco has highlighted the “extraordinary” work that the city does controlling drug trafficking and illegal immigration: “We want enter Schengen now, regardless of what the current government of Melilla says “, said the CEO of Hélity.

“The city is in an unsustainable state“, has admitted the Minister of Presidency and Institutional Relations, who has described the city as” exhausted “:” We need that support from Europe to the border changes as soon as possible. “

Cañas has proposed that the development funds that the European Union allocates to Morocco should have as requirement to respect borders from Ceuta and Melilla.

“When you speak to a Finn, most do not know that Spain has two cities in North Africa. It’s not on the mind map of Europe, and you have to make the effort, “argued the MEP, at a table in which the comparison with the weight of Gibraltar in the region has been repeated.

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