Brussels, 10/06/2015 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has promised to redraft the smart borders package in 2016. But the package continues to divide MEPs, some of whom are firmly against the idea of €800 million being spent on a project that could very well further close the EU, as some S&D members fear.
These fears were expressed by Tanja Fajon (S&D, Slovenia) in a debate in the Parliament attended by Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos on Tuesday 9 June. The commissioner was setting out what would be assessed in the impact study and indicated that the issue of police access of the smart borders system would be a matter that would be considered. The smart borders programme contains an entry/exit system that will allow tabs to be kept on travellers who have exceeded the length of their authorised stay.
“The debate is taking a wrong turn”, said Fajon, arguing that the package lays too great an emphasis on security. It also falls short on issues of proportionality, there are questions about how long the data will be retained and it is still not clear how much it will cost. “The €800 million could be better used to help the migrants dying in the Mediterranean”, she said.
Marie-Christine Vergiat (GUE/NGL, France) claimed that the smart borders package would serve only to “tighten borders and create files on migrants” (our translations).
Avramopoulos promised a robust impact study on cost, proportionality and need, as well as on protection of personal data. (Solenn Paulic)