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Border control at the German-Polish border crossing Stadtbrücke between Frankfurt (Oder) and Slubice
Photo:
Patrick Pleul/dpa
In the future, border controls within the EU may be permitted for up to three years in the event of serious threats. Negotiators from the European Parliament and EU states agreed on a corresponding reform of the Schengen rules on Wednesday night.
For example, if there is a risk of terrorist attacks or organized crime, border controls can be introduced for a period of six months. However, they should last a maximum of two years, with a possible further extension of one year, as the EU Parliament has now announced. Until now, the Schengen Borders Code stipulated that controls at the internal borders could last a maximum of six months. However, in “exceptional circumstances” they could be extended to a maximum of two years.
However, border controls must remain the last resort, it was said. The EU states should assess the proportionality of the measure and prepare a risk assessment after six months. Parliament and EU states still have to approve the project, but this is considered a formality.
Germany has also introduced border controls
In October last year, Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) ordered controls at the borders with Poland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland in Germany and extended them until mid-March in December 2023. The stationary internal border controls on the German-Austrian border, which began in autumn 2015, are currently running until May 11, 2024.
The Schengen area is intended to ensure unrestricted movement of people in Europe without border controls. So far, 23 of the 27 EU member states as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland have belonged to it. In December it was decided to expand the area to include Romania and Bulgaria, although initially only controls at the air and sea borders should be lifted there.
czl/dpa