Brussels, 01/07/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 1st July, the finance committee of the Danish parliament gave its go-ahead to restoring permanent controls on the border with Germany and Sweden. An opposition move calling for the withdrawal of the government had been rejected, AFP reports. The proposal put forward by the government was then to be adopted after a further vote by the finance committee on the budget foreseen for implementing such measures, to be applied as of next week.
Announced on 11 May by the Danish government under pressure from the Danish People's Party (far right), and presented as being aimed at establishing strictly customs controls without impact on Schengen rules, the project had aroused concern from Germany and the European Commission, which had sent a letter to Copenhagen on 13 May warning against anything that would be detrimental to Schengen, to the free movement of goods and to the free movement of persons within the EU.
Since then, the Commission and Copenhagen have remained in contact, with a frequent exchange of letters. The Commission, however, was not expected to react on Friday to the vote in finance committee.
Manfred Weber (EPP, Germany) denounces these new border controls in a press release. He describes them as “unacceptable” and speaks of the erosion of the principle of freedom of movement, and calls on the Commission to take whatever measures are necessary. (S.P./transl.jl)