Europe’s Schengen passport-free system has been experiencing severe strain since the start of the migrant crisis. The arrival of hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers at the borders of Europe – mainly from Syria -- created a crisis which the founders of Schengen couldn’t have foreseen. Several European countries protested at the easiness with which these migrants were able to move inside the continent; some countries were prepared and equipped to meet the crisis and others were not. So naturally, calls arose for the reformation of the system and grew louder.
The passport-free system suffered a new setback yesterday as Sweden imposed controls on travellers arriving from Denmark in a desperate bid to curb an influx of refugees, triggering counter measures from Denmark. Just hours after the Swedish controls on its border with Denmark went into effect, the Danish government announced spot checks on its border with Germany. The move came from fears that the country could be saddled with large numbers of migrants if their onward journey is blocked at the borders. Germany too announced that the Schengen zone was in danger. “Freedom of movement is an important principle and one of the biggest achievements (in the European Union) in recent years,” German foreign ministry spokesman Martin Schaefer said. “Schengen is very important but it is in danger,” he said.
Germany and Sweden are grappling with record numbers of migrants. They say it’s not possible to absorb any more as opposition at home builds up at the government’s charitable attitude.
Alarmed at the inability of Brussels to find an immediate solution, some member states have been implementing their own controls, which go against the very spirit and concept of Schengen zone. If these controls continue, the passport-free system risks a natural death.
It’s true that Europe has been facing an unprecedented migrant crisis, but imposing new controls is no solution. Millions have benefited from Schengen, as have the European countries, and placing curbs on the system will be counter-productive and amount to undoing the vision of founders of Europe. The new measures mean that travellers between the neighbouring countries will have to show their ID cards for the first time in over half a century, under a Nordic agreement that predates the 20-year-old Schengen zone. Several EU countries, including Germany, Austria and France, had re-imposed border checks last year as they grappled with the biggest refugee crisis since World War II.
The Schengen system is not rigid as it allows member countries to reintroduce temporary border checks in exceptional circumstances. Europe needs to return to the previous rules once the current crisis is over.
Europe’s Schengen passport-free system has been experiencing severe strain since the start of the migrant crisis. The arrival of hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers at the borders of Europe – mainly from Syria -- created a crisis which the founders of Schengen couldn’t have foreseen. Several European countries protested at the easiness with which these migrants were able to move inside the continent; some countries were prepared and equipped to meet the crisis and others were not. So naturally, calls arose for the reformation of the system and grew louder.
The passport-free system suffered a new setback yesterday as Sweden imposed controls on travellers arriving from Denmark in a desperate bid to curb an influx of refugees, triggering counter measures from Denmark. Just hours after the Swedish controls on its border with Denmark went into effect, the Danish government announced spot checks on its border with Germany. The move came from fears that the country could be saddled with large numbers of migrants if their onward journey is blocked at the borders. Germany too announced that the Schengen zone was in danger. “Freedom of movement is an important principle and one of the biggest achievements (in the European Union) in recent years,” German foreign ministry spokesman Martin Schaefer said. “Schengen is very important but it is in danger,” he said.
Germany and Sweden are grappling with record numbers of migrants. They say it’s not possible to absorb any more as opposition at home builds up at the government’s charitable attitude.
Alarmed at the inability of Brussels to find an immediate solution, some member states have been implementing their own controls, which go against the very spirit and concept of Schengen zone. If these controls continue, the passport-free system risks a natural death.
It’s true that Europe has been facing an unprecedented migrant crisis, but imposing new controls is no solution. Millions have benefited from Schengen, as have the European countries, and placing curbs on the system will be counter-productive and amount to undoing the vision of founders of Europe. The new measures mean that travellers between the neighbouring countries will have to show their ID cards for the first time in over half a century, under a Nordic agreement that predates the 20-year-old Schengen zone. Several EU countries, including Germany, Austria and France, had re-imposed border checks last year as they grappled with the biggest refugee crisis since World War II.
The Schengen system is not rigid as it allows member countries to reintroduce temporary border checks in exceptional circumstances. Europe needs to return to the previous rules once the current crisis is over.
