EU home affairs ministers, and in particular the French minister, expressed their disagreement with the European Parliament on Thursday 13 October over the proposal that seeks to apply systematic checks (against European and national police files) on all persons – including European citizens – crossing Schengen borders, on which agreement was reached in the Council in February 2016 (see EUROPE 11499 and 11577). France has called on Parliament “not to water down” the proposal.
The Schengen code was amended at the end of 2015 to incorporate such a change, following the Paris terrorist attacks of 13 November. “We discussed systematic checks at the external borders. We’re not fully in agreement with the European Parliament but it is essential that security is the priority”, said Slovak Home Affairs Minister Robert Kalinak. “Without these systematic checks we cannot improve security.” “We were successful in getting the Council of the EU to agree to amendment of Article 7(2) of the Schengen borders code that will ensure that all European citizens – who enjoy freedom of movement within the Schengen area – will be checked on their return, in particular from theatres of terrorist operations”, said French Home Affairs Minister Bernard Cazeneuve as he left the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting. “In our view, the rule must be firmly applied. There can be no exemptions”, he stated, warning of the effect on the credibility of the EU in protecting its citizens against the terrorist threat, were there to be any lapses in implementing this measure.
“We have been applying checks at our own borders since 13 November to be sure that all security provisions are, indeed, being implemented. We will be very firm against any temptation that might be felt to alter either the spirit or the letter of this amendment of the Schengen borders code”, Cazeneuve went on to say.
During interinstitutional negotiations, MEPs could place too many demands on the exemptions they would like to see put in place, the member states say, including “authorising systematic checks for only five years”, a Council source said. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)