Brussels, 06/07/2011 (Agence Europe) - In Strasbourg on Wednesday 6 July, Polish Prime Minister, Donald Tusk gave Denmark a warning over its measures eventually to bring back permanent border controls on its borders with Germany and Sweden, which he sees as a threat to the freedom of movement within the Schengen area.
“The Danish decisions could be a cause for concern and another sign that the freedom of movement could come under threat in future”, said Donald Tusk, who was presenting the European Parliament with priorities for the rotating Presidency of the EU.
The prime minister also expressed his views on current reflections on the governance of the Schengen area, saying that he was completely opposed to limiting movement on the pretext of migration problems. Illegal immigration is one of the justifications forwarded by Denmark to implement its measures and also one of the arguments used by certain countries, such as France, to call for a revision of the rules on the free-movement area.
Tusk said that “working together with the Commission, we should seek measures which guarantee this freedom of movement of people whilst protecting Europe from the damaging consequences of migration”.
In Strasbourg, President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso also referred to the Danish measures, stating that the Commission, working closely with Copenhagen, was continuing to assess the process and implementation of these measures. “The free movement of goods, services and people is an essential element of European integration, guaranteed by treaties which have been signed and ratified by all member states”, Barroso reiterated. “Undermining the freedom of movement means jeopardising the single market, jeopardising the solidarity between Europeans and jeopardising European projects”, he added.
President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek voiced his objection to any unilateral decision, stating that a procedure of this kind to bring back border controls should be taken at Community level. (S.P./transl.fl)