Speech: Remarks by Commissioner Avramopoulos following the Commission's adoption of the Recommendation for prolonging temporary internal border controls

Dear all,

Over the past months, we have taken important steps to strengthen and improve the management of the external borders of the EU.

This will also help us to return to a normal functioning of our Schengen area. Let me be clear on this: Our number one priority is and remains to safeguard Schengen, which is one of the greatest achievements of European Integration.

All our efforts are working towards the same ultimate goal: To return to a normal functioning of Schengen, without internal border controls, as soon as possible.

This is why the launch of the European Border and Coast Guard was so critical. Its full operationalisation is now of key importance. But unfortunately we are not there yet.

A few weeks ago I reported in our interim analysis, that the controls so far had been necessary and proportionate. The Commission has continuously monitored the situation very closely.

Let me already explicitly state that we are very much aware of all concerns - both of the Schengen States who are currently still carrying out internal border controls, (Germany, Austria, Sweden, Denmark, Norway), as well as their Schengen neighbours who are not.

Following our request, the five Schengen States concerned, have provided factual information: this shows a drop in the number of arrivals as well as in the number of asylum applications received. However, the exceptional circumstances justifying the reintroduction of internal border controls still persist.

First of all, a significant number of irregular migrants (about 60,000) still remains in Greece and could potentially move onwards to other Member States, if internal border controls are removed.

Secondly, there is significant strain on the asylum services of the five concerned Schengen States following the number of asylum applications received and still incoming.

In addition, a number of elements that we identified in our Roadmap on Back to Schengen need more time to be fully implemented and sustained.

In 3 months from now:

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  we are expecting the full operationalisation of the European Border and Coast Guard,

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  we count on a continued and sustained implementation of the EU-Turkey statement and

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  we are working towards the full application of the Dublin rules (notwithstanding the future reform of Dublin), whilst delivering on the commitments under the relocation schemes

This is why today the Commission proposes to prolong internal border controls at the same border crossings, as an exceptional measure and for a strictly limited period of an additional 3 months.

The strictly limited extension that we propose is aimed at adjusting the current temporary internal controls to reflect the current needs. This means that the controls should be carried out only to the necessary extent, and limited in their intensity to the absolute minimum required. This also means that, when during a given period there is not a significant flow, controls at certain border sections may then not even be necessary.

Let it be clear that what we are proposing today is the exception, in exceptional circumstances. It is not the new normal.

This is why we emphasise and demand that the necessity of these controls should be re-evaluated regularly in cooperation with all the Member States affected with the objective of progressively reducing them. We ask Member States to report monthly to the Commission, together with an assessment of their continuous necessity.

Dear all,

All our efforts, including today's proposal, have only one objective: to further address all current migratory and security challenges so we can lift all internal border controls as soon as possible.

We have put economic figures on the cost of not having Schengen. But the real, human and social cost of not having Schengen is far greater, if not immeasurable.

The Commission and I personally are fully and indisputably committed to safeguarding this fundamentally European achievement that we should never take for granted. And make no mistake by our proposal today: we don't take it for granted.

On the contrary, we are determined to work with Member States in bringing back Schengen to how it should be: free internal movement without border controls, together with a strong management of our external borders.

Thank you.

SPEECH/16/3543