Advertisement

France says EU must tighten border controls

AFP
AFP - [email protected]
France says EU must tighten border controls
France's interior and justice ministers Bernard Cazeneuve and Christiane Taubira arrive in Brussels today. Photo: AFP

France joined other EU countries in crucial talks on Friday, with Paris to push for tighter border controls around the Schengen area in the light of the terrorist attacks. "Terrorists are crossing EU borders," said Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve.

Advertisement

French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve on Friday urged the EU to take urgent counter-terrorism decisions after having
"wasted too much time", as he entered emergency talks following the Paris attacks.

"We hope that Europe, which has wasted too much time on a number of urgent issues, today takes the decisions that we must take," Cazeneuve told reporters as he arrived for a meeting with his EU counterparts in Brussels.

Later in a speech to the ministers Cazeneuve said: “Terrorists are crossing the borders of the European Union.

"We can’t take more time. This is urgent.”

At the emergency meeting in Brussels, France is pushing for longer-term systematic checks that would require a change of the Schengen border code and therefore need wider political agreement.

The decision for tougher short-term checks is to be taken at Friday's crisis meeting, which was requested by France in the wake of last week's suicide and gun attacks in which 129 people died, officials said.

The ministers will "implement immediately the necessary systematic and coordinated checks at external borders, including on individuals enjoying the right of free movement," according to a draft seen by AFP.

Schengen has come under scrutiny following the revelations that some of the Paris attackers came from Belgium, and that alleged ringleader Abdelhamid Abaaoud may have come back from fighting with IS in Syria to take part.

Most EU citizens enjoy passport-free travel throughout the Schengen zone of 22 EU countries, plus non-EU Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

EU officials said travellers will now not only have their passports examined but have their personal information checked with databases.

"We can do it now, for a month, for a year, on special routes," an EU source said.

"But for the future we have to change article seven of the Schengen border code in order to do systematic checks on everyone," he said.

"That is why ministers will invite the (European) Commission to present legislation on that."

The European Commission, the executive arm of the 28-nation EU, insists there is enough flexibility in the current Schengen rules to provide adequate border security, but says it is willing to discuss France's proposals.

"We're open to discussing all of the French proposals," a European Commission spokeswoman told AFP.

France is also pushing for the EU to agree on US-style Passenger Name Record (PNR) system which involves collecting EU passenger data by the end of the year.

The plan is controversial in Europe due to concerns to protect personal information while fighting terrorism and serious crime.

The meeting will also focus on the question of firearms security and the reinforcement of controls at external borders.

More

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

See Also