Brussels, 19/03/2002 (Agence Europe) - After having addressed a letter (on 30 October 2000) to the Spanish authorities to investigate whether the checks at the La Linea border point had been disproportionate (following a number of complaints by travellers) and therefore incompatible with Community law, the Spanish government has declared that these controls were "necessary and proportionate". The Spanish authorities explained that travellers were only expected to show their passports or identity card and could practically cross the border without being stopped. They did, however, recognise, in their reply to the Commission that the "queues waiting are formed on the space reserved for cars at certain points of the day". In conclusion, a Commission spokesperson explained that "there is no legal proof to suggest that those who lodged complaints were right, nor that this situation is in contravention to the Schengen Agreement".