“No passports, no queues”: Schengen area is Europe’s “identity”, but the European Parliament disagrees on how to manage borders
After Germany reinforced land border controls to reduce irregular immigration, doubts were raised about their effects on the free movement enshrined in the Schengen area and criticism emerged from neighboring countries. During the plenary session at the European Parliament (EP), MEPs dedicated two debates to the issue, which divided opinions and did not help the European Union (EU) to “advance even one meter”.
Around 420 million people in 29 countries can move freely thanks to the Schengen area, with 30% of Europeans living in a border region, according to European Commission. “I am proud to live in the Schengen Area, and I think we all are, [é] the largest free movement space in the world”, said European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson.
More Europeans have heard about this space without internal border controls than ever before, according to the new Eurobarometer, which will be published soon. This survey “also shows that too many of our citizens and businesses have negative experiences with border controls”, said the commissioner.
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“No passports, no queues. That’s what Europe is all about.”said Ylva Johansson when referring to the recent accession of Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania to the Schengen area. He also reinforced that “Schengen is not just the basis of our prosperity, Schengen is part of our identity”, and in the last five years of the commissioner’s mandate this space has become “safer”.
Schengen underwent an “ambitious reform”, in which the Schengen Council was created for ministers from each State to meet and decide priorities, as well as the Schengen border code was revised. The commissioner also assured that “thanks to the Schengen reform carried out this term, we are now in a much better position to deal with internal border controls”.
“Internal border controls must be temporary, proportionate and a measure of last resort, only in the face of a serious threat to public order or internal security” due to “the risk of compromising the benefits of free movement”. “We all want to stop criminals and terrorists, but we don’t want to stop travel, commerce and tourism”, highlighted Ylva Johansson.
Currently, in addition to Germany, seven countries in the Schengen area carry out controls at their internal borders (Sweden, Austria, Slovenia, Italy, Norway, Denmark and France). The commissioner recalls that through dialogue they managed, in some cases, to find alternatives to controls, such as joint patrols and investigations, as well as joint police stations.
Ylva Johansson also highlighted the migration and asylum pactwhich is expected to be implemented by mid-2026. “The pact will help us protect people, secure our borders and manage migration in an orderly way and I am sure that this will also reduce the need for States -Members feel about controls at internal borders”, he said.
From the danger of the indefinite reintroduction of border controls to the myth of a Europe without borders
The European People’s Party (PPE, to which the PSD and CDS belong) also argued that the pact should be implemented quickly to “regain control and reduce migratory pressure to the European Union”, as well as promote measures that allow the return of illegal migrants to their country of origin.
The Renew group (which includes the Liberal Initiative) also reinforced that The migration and asylum pact should be put into force as soon as possible “because it is a basic prerequisite for us to be able to dispense with internal borders in the Schengen area”.
“The reintroduction of border controls, especially if it happens indefinitely, is a danger”stated the Socialists and Democrats (S&D, to which the PS belongs). They also argued that Member States should resort to alternative measures such as joint police controls.
While A Esquerda (to which the Bloco de Esquerda and the PCP belong), highlighted that the “closure of the Schengen borders is a step back towards a past that we consider distant, a past of separation and nationalism”. The political group believes that the EU should not be divided by “borders and fences” nor be closed to “the privileged few who happen to have the right passports”.
The Greens/European Free Alliance stated that the EU is based on the “pillar of security, but it is also based on the pillar of freedom and the pillar of justice”. Because they consider that the introduction of border controls in Germany was disproportionate, they say they hope that the “European Commission enforces the law, that the Schengen Borders Code is finally applied”.
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On the other hand, the group Patriots for Europe (PfE, where Chega is) sees as a “myth” the idea that it is possible to have a “Europe without borders, which would supposedly lead us to peace and prosperity”. “A world without borders is a world of mafias, smugglers, Islamist attacks, trafficking, unfair competition and all types of violence”, they warned when criticizing the equitable distribution provided for in the migration pact.
The group of European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR, radical right) shares a similar position to the PfE. They criticized the pact that they say was invented to compensate for “Germany’s mistakes [no controlo da imigração]”, which will now be “paid by your neighbors”. However, they understand that “Europe’s external borders must be firmly defended, not the destruction of the Union’s greatest achievement, the Schengen area”.
The group Europe of Sovereign Nations (ESN, far right) also stated that “millions of people have been entering our continent illegally for years and the European Union is failing to protect our external borders”. They further stated that “in any other part of the world this would be a natural matter, but in Europe, countries like Hungary, which protect their own borders, are being penalized for this, [o que] it’s unbelievable”.
“Europe’s borders are not unprotected” says the European Commission, but MEPs disagree on Frontex
During this Wednesday’s debate on strengthening security at Europe’s external borders with the support of Frontex (European Border and Coast Guard Agency), the parties were once again divided. Some argued that strengthening this system cannot be guided by “border abolition fantasies”, while others stressed that making Brussels responsible for managing the European Union’s external borders is “irresponsible and unacceptable”. There was support for Frontex as long as it respected fundamental rights, while others accused the agency of being a “failure” because disrespect this right “with impunity”.
“I heard that Frontex is a criminal organization and on the other side I heard that Frontex is a travel agency”said Margaritis Schinas, Vice-President of the European Commission, who reiterated that these accusations are not part of the European agency’s policy. In response to MEPs, he recalled when, in March 2020, villagers in Evros applauded the Frontex forces who came to help the Greek border authorities maintain the Greek border when “20 million desperate people were instrumentalized in the Evros region, on the border between Greece and Turkey”. Margaritis Schinas stated that the “dogmatic” debate that took place does not “help to advance even one meter”.
The Vice-President assured that the security of Europe’s external borders is a fundamental priority for the Commission, and in the last order the capacity to reinforce borders was “tested in an unprecedented way”. As such, “regulatory improvements have been introduced that will serve many generations to come.” One of which, the digitization of travel documents, was implemented on Tuesday.
The changes to the regulations mean that the “external border will not just be a geographical line, it will be a place where our regulatory power will be evident and apply”. Margaritis Schinas also indicated that the budget for border management in the European Union has more than tripled in the last three financings. It was also proposed that the number of Frontex agents, which currently number 10,000, be tripled.
“Europe’s borders are not unprotected. And as we modernize our capabilities through digital systems and strengthen our partnerships, we at the same time continue to remain vigilant and insist on a stronger, more agile response to evolving threats at our external borders,” assured.
The journalist traveled at the invitation of the European Parliament
