Brussels, 18/07/2011 (Agence Europe) - The Commission continues to have concerns about the reinforced customs control set in place in recent days by Denmark on its borders with Sweden and Germany and has called upon Copenhagen to provide additional information on these measures. This observation was made on 14-15 July during a visit to Denmark by a team of Commission experts, on a mission to assess the compatibility of these reinforced controls with the provisions on Schengen on the free movement of people and goods. This mission did nothing to mollify the Commission's “concerns”, it stated on Monday 18 July in a press release.
In their 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”, the Commission continues. The risk assessment put forward by Copenhagen, which is required to justify these controls, was also not “sufficient”, and there were no clear instructions to border control officers on how to carry out controls, the Commission adds. It also notes that there was no structured reporting mechanism about the number of controls and their results.
These shortcomings are of particular concern to European Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmström. In a press release, she expresses her regret that the mission was unable to provide the Commission with the answers it was hoping for. “There are persistent concerns” about the compatibility of the Danish measures with the freedoms provided under the EU Treaty, particularly the Schengen provisions, she explained. The Swedish commissioner stressed that Denmark really needs to provide evidence that the “gravity of the situation” justifies putting in place controls which might affect the exercise of free movement.
The results of this mission also make it “even more necessary to establish a reinforced dialogue with the Danish authorities”, Malmström continues, “and to put in place a strict monitoring system based on regular information from the Danish authorities”. The Commissioner has not ruled out the possibility of using infringement procedure mechanisms, warns Commissioner Cecilia Malmström. Talks between the Commission and Copenhagen started on 13 May. (S.P./transl.fl)