Brussels: The EU on Tuesday mulled allowing states in the passport-free Schengen zone to reintroduce border checks for up to two years to cope with the migration crisis, in what would be a blow to a cherished pillar of European unity.
At a meeting in Amsterdam on Monday EU interior ministers had asked the European Commission – the executive arm of the 28-nation European Union – about the possibility of extending the checks.
“We want to be prepared for all eventualities but we are not at the activation stage yet,” Natasha Bertaud, the Commission’s spokeswoman on migration, said in Brussels.
“If the situation does not change and there could indeed be justifications under public order and security reasons to maintain internal controls at internal Schengen borders,” Bertaud added.
“We want to be prepared so we are pursuing the options that could be available to us under article 26 if and when we need to activate them.”
Article 26 of the Schengen code allows members of the 26-country zone, which includes most European Union countries, to reintroduce internal border controls for a maximum of up to two years under exceptional circumstances.
In the last few months, Austria, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, France and non-EU member Norway have all introduced temporary controls over the migrant crisis, but with a limit of six months.
The member states are required to inform the commission, which reviews whether they meet the criteria for reintroducing controls.
“We know the migratory flows are not going to be subsiding soon and as the weather changes are even likely to increase again,” Bertaud said.
The introduction of the temporary controls has raised fears that the Schengen zone – a symbol of European unity, freedom and prosperity that allows travel without passports or visas – could collapse.
But Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said: “We are saving Schengen by applying Schengen.”
The Czech Republic on Tuesday invited regional neighbours Hungary, Poland and Slovakia to a special summit on February to discuss the issue.
“We aren’t deciding merely about the future of the (passport-free) Schengen (area)... but also about the future of the entire European Union,” Czech Premier Bohuslav Sobotka said following talks in Slovakia with Slovak counterpart Robert Fico.
Fico, a leftwinger known for his anti-immigrant rhetoric, meanwhile said the EU was committing “ritual suicide” with its migration policy.
The EU is already due to discuss the migration crisis at a summit of leaders in Brussels on February 18-19, although the issue could be overshadowed by negotiations over Britain’s EU reform demands.
An extension of border controls has further sparked concerns that Greece – the landing point for around 80 per cent of all migrants arriving in Europe – could be effectively frozen out of Schengen.
“If we do not manage to secure Europe’s external border, this is the Greek-Turkish border, the European external border will move towards central Europe,” Austrian Interior Minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner said.
Last week Mikl-Leitner warned Athens could face “temporary exclusion” from Schengen.
Meanwhile, the Commission warned of possible steps against Pakistan if it fails to comply with a deal on deporting migrants of Pakistani origin.
The EU persuaded Pakistan in November to restore a suspended agreement to facilitate the return of Pakistani illegal immigrants without documentation.
Pakistan was one of the top five countries of origin among the one million migrants who arrived in Europe last year, although most are considered economic migrants rather than refugees from conflict.
“While discussions have been good and positive, we note that there are still difficulties with this readmission deal,” Bertaud said.
“The Commission is currently examining possible incentives – positive and negative – so that this accord is applied properly.”
In December, Pakistan sent back at least 30 undocumented migrants that Greece was trying to repatriate after saying Greece had failed to provide adequate proof that they were Pakistani, a claim later disputed by the EU.
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