The European Commission has said Spain’s extraordinary regularisation of illegal migrants sends a poor signal to the rest of the European Union, while denying any direct link between the scheme and the mass crossings into Ceuta. He added that the policy was “definitely not a good signal for the rest of Europe”. Spanish interior minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said about 70,000 of the 72,000 people who entered Ceuta had already left. Ministers endorsed a five-point plan set out by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, covering stronger external borders, an early-warning system and closer cooperation with countries outside the bloc. Danish interior minister Morten Bødsko said he was satisfied with Spain’s handling of the crisis though repeated that “uncontrolled immigration is a threat to Europe and Denmark”.