Six EU countries want longer passport checks

Six European countries want another half-year passport and other controls at their internal borders.

According to the Greek, the reports are 'assessed in detail' but this can not be the new norm in the Schengen area. 'He stressed that, following a meeting of EU Justice and Home Affairs Ministers, temporary border controls should remain exceptionally' a last resort. 'The Schengen area consists of 23 of the 28 EU member states plus Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

According to Estonian minister Andres Anvelt, who advocates the council, 'rumors are that Schengen is now extinguished. '' There is understanding among other countries about concerns about migration and terror. It is a matter of balancing the freedom of movement and those worries. '

In order to accommodate this, the committee proposed last month to raise the rules for temporary internal border controls in 'exceptional situations'. Now, a Member State that believes that national security is at risk may request permission from Brussels to introduce border controls at the end of a six-month period, and then apply for extension. For approval, the other Member States should be consulted.

The commission now wants to apply the first application for a year. If the same (terror) threat still exists, the country may ask for a six-month extension, and then again, until three years at the latest, border controls. Avramopoulos called on the ministers to quickly decide on the proposal.