The Schengen area in the EU is no longer as young and energetic as it erstwhile was.
Exactly 40 years ago, ministers of Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, France and the Netherlands boarded the Princess Marie-Astrid ship and sailed into the mediate of the Moselle River, to tripartite border in the heart of Europe. There, close the tiny Luxembourg town of Schengen, signed commitments to phase out controls at common borders.
Their commitment became the cornerstone of the world's largest free travel area: The Schengen area presently offers the freedom to travel 450 million people from 29 countries — 4 of which do not belong to the EU — and controls are to be limited to temporary measures applied under exceptional circumstances.
However, even in the face of the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty on the free movement of persons, he cannot sleep peacefully again.
“It melts in front of us”
This June, 11 of the 29 Schengen countries — including Austria, France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands — informed the European Commission of the plans restoring border controls. 10 of them announced checks for a period of six months, and respective countries only extended the last of a series of long-term checks.
The Schengen area is “melting in front of us”, said Spanish MP Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar, Social Democrat.
When EU countries, 1 by one, closed their borders during the crisis coronavirusIn a successful effort to halt COVID-19, Lopez Aguilar has taken the lead in efforts to reconstruct the free travel region in the EU.
However, according to Spain, “since the pandemic The situation has deteriorated considerably‘. In their migration plans, countries began to hotel "too often" to interior controls.
Europe with barriers, however
Germany besides referred to a "serious threat to public security" due to undocumented migration, introducing last year checks at all their borders. erstwhile he became Chancellor Friedrich Merz, tightened the controls.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called checks unacceptable, and Czech Home Minister Vit Rakusan requested Germany to limit their impact on cross-border traffic.
For Luxembourg, however, this is simply a individual matter.
Fearing the impact of German controls on the border region and thousands of people who commute regular to work in Germany, the government submitted complaint to the European Commission.
The free movement region in the EU "is a surviving task that depends on our vigilance, cooperation and deep conviction about a barrier-free Europe," said Luxembourg's Minister of the Interior Leon Gloden in a written message to POLITICO.
"Luxembourg, as the birthplace of Schengen, has a peculiar work for maintaining the spirit of this agreement," he added.
Brussels response
"Migration" is simply a word-key in the justifications of the countries re-introduction. Slovenia, Italy, Austria, the Netherlands, France and Bulgaria have besides listed it as the main reason.
In its latest yearly Schengen Report, which was published earlier this year, The Commission called temporary border checks "derogation" from the principles of free movement in the EU.
According to the report, the Commission remains "in close contact with the countries" and "discourses advance exchange of information". The Commission besides concluded that monitoring shows that the controls have a ‘non-systematic character’.
Lopez Aguilar said that the Commission had not checked whether national border control plans were essential and proportionate.
— They usually hotel to incomprehensible jargon: "We conduct structured dialogue, we closely follow the situation, we observe developments," he said. However, he added that the Commission's enforcement consequence was ‘very weak’.
Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner stated that the Schengen force is closely linked to the protection of the EU's external borders. “The maintenance and improvement of Schengen is only possible by creating a precisely tuned support strategy based on close police cooperation and effective border protection,” said Brunner.
Emmanuele Contini / AFPPolish-German border, bridge connecting Frankfurt nad Oder and Słubice (view picture)
The situation has changed.
The Commission is "involved in strengthening the protection of our external borders, addressing migration management problems and providing law enforcement with the tools essential to address threats," he added. — As a individual who grew up on the Schengen border, I personally experienced the freedom provided by this zone said Brunner from Austria.
Controls aimed at reducing migration can number on support in EU capitals.
Belgium should besides "restore the form of controls at our interior borders" to implement the government's "strong" migration plans," said Belgian Home Minister Bernard Quintin last period in an interview with POLITICO. “ However, this should not make life hard for those who want to cross borders that have long become virtual borders,” he added.
He stressed that specified controls did not violate the Schengen rules due to the fact that "the situation in Europe and in the planet has changed greatly between 1985 and 2025" and the legal framework "evolution". — Borders are not closed — this is important “The minister added.
The politicians in Luxembourg disagree.
The government has created a peculiar email address to which citizens can complain about border control. In the face of concerns about the gradual re-establishment of borders across Europe, the ministers of the country regularly address this issue in meetings with EU partners in Brussels. “It is essential to remove borders in people’s awareness, not rebuild them,” said Gloden.
