BRUSSELS – Denmark has failed to justify its new border controls and the tighter security system imposed on its frontiers needs strict monitoring, the European Commission said yesterday.
Denmark decided in May to tighten customs procedures to combat smuggling, illegal immigration and human trafficking, prompting criticism from the Commission, which said it would not tolerate any breach of EU law on free movement of people.
Denmark’s move has upset Germany and stirred debate about free travel within Europe’s Schengen zone, with the Commission sending in a team to check on the new measures.
“In a first assessment the experts reported that they were unable to get sufficient justifications from the Danish side for the intensification of the controls at the internal borders,” EU home affairs commissioner Cecilia Malmström said in a statement.
“It is incumbent on Denmark to demonstrate factually that the gravity of the situation justifies putting in place controls which might affect the exercise of free movement of goods, services and persons at the internal borders with Germany and Sweden,” Ms Malmström said.
In separate comments yesterday, Ms Malmström said the EU was moving closer to allowing internal borders to be restored on a temporary basis in case of an emergency if the bloc as a whole agreed to this. – (Reuters)