The European Commission has staked its credibility on safeguarding the internal border-free Schengen zone – by shoring up its external borders, revamping EU migration laws and paying human-rights busting regimes large sums to prevent people from ever reaching Europe.
But its soft-glove approach to holding member states accountable for internal border closures, while taking a hard line on migration and the EU’s external borders in the name of preserving Schengen, appears increasingly counterproductive.
“This is about secure and safe external borders,” a commission spokesperson told reporters on Thursday (20 August) when pressed about the fallout from the latest reciprocal internal border control checks, imposed by Spain and Italy.
“Schengen requires external borders that are strong, and a firm and fair migration management,” he added.
For years, the commission has argued that strong external borders are essential. That is a position few would dispute, given the benefits of free movement within the EU, currently enjoyed by some 450 million people across 29 European countries.
