24/04/2024 (Agence Europe) – On Wednesday 24 April, the European Parliament approved the targeted revision of the Schengen Borders Code (see EUROPE 13374/22, 13377/30) by 311 votes to 267 with 53 abstentions. Criticised by NGOs, the reform is intended to provide a framework and limit the reintroduction of controls at the Schengen internal borders. It creates new opportunities for the transfer of illegal migrants between Member States and introduces the idea of instrumentalisation of migration, which may justify certain measures at external borders. The reform also aims to provide a better framework for the reinstatement of cascading internal measures, as in the case of a pandemic. The elected representatives who rejected the reform came from the ECR, who almost all rejected the reform, as did The Left and the Greens/EFA. Around twenty EPP MEPs also voted against, including a large number of French MEPs. Links to the approved text and votes: https://aeur.eu/f/bxj; https://aeur.eu/f/bxu (SP)