Friday

22nd Sep 2023

France and Commission push to fortify Schengen

  • At the Hungarian border, one of the EU's external borders. (Photo: Dan Lantner)

In the aftermath of the Paris attacks, France and the European Commission are pushing for intensified measures on fighting terrorism and radicalisation as well as on border controls and arms regulations.

Ahead of an extraordinary meeting of interior ministers to be held on Friday (20 November), French authorities are asking for a strengthening of existing regulations and a quick adoption of plans already in the EU pipelines.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

In a document seen by EUobserver, France is asking firstly for a quick adoption of PNR (Passenger Name Record), the EU airlines passengers data base. It wants PNT to be extended to internal EU flights, with data stored for one year.

PNR is currently being formally discussed among the commission, the member states and the EU Parliament. The plan has been strongly opposed by some MEPs over concerns about the protection of personal data.

"It is of crucial importance to finalize work on a EU PNR before the end of this year," migration commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos said at a press conference Wednesday.

"PNR would help to identify all individuals who cross the EU's external borders," an EU official said. "It would let security services know who is on a plane up to 48 hours before the flight lands, and to do cross-checking."

Systematic controls

France is demanding that "systematic, coordinated and strengthened checks" be carried out on EU citizens at the EU's external borders and that EU security databases be "systematically consulted" by member states.

The issue could trigger some discussion among ministers on Friday, as some member states are far from being in a position to meet France's demand.

"Controls at external borders are mandatory for all travel documents, but they are not systematically applied in all countries because of a lack of capacities or of organisation," an EU official said.

France is also demanding that the EU quickly create a European border and coast guard, adopt the 'Smart Borders' package, and step up measures against the financing of terrorism.

At a press conference Wednesday, migration commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos said that the commission will present its proposals for a border guard in December, for Smart Borders next spring, and for financing "in the weeks to come".

In the document circulated in Brussels, France is demanding that "control of the most exposed external borders be quickly strengthened – and first among them, the Greek-Turkish border, which is the main point of irregular entries to the EU".

France is also proposing that rapid intervention teams be deployed "when Schengen evaluations or risk analysis justify it".

As the renewed terrorism threat merges with the migration crisis, the European Commission ruled out any change to Schengen rules.

"Schengen is not the problem," Avramopoulos said.

The commissioner insisted that although "certain things have to be improved and revised", the EU executive "does not intend to open a discussion" on Schengen.

Arms controls

"Schengen is the greatest achievement of European integration," Avramopoulos said. "If we put Schengen under question, it will mark a backtracking on EU integration."

While France requires action from the institutions and other member states, the commission is trying to retain the initiative on security and to push for a better implementation of Schengen rules.

"The Schengen Borders Code already provides all the tools for effective checks," Avramopoulos said.

"Member states must make full use of the Schengen Information System (SIS) in order to exchange information,'" he said, adding that "member states must upload into the SIS their own alerts regarding expulsion, refusal of entry, or removal from the territory of a member states".

The commission also announced Wednesday new measures on arms controls, which met French demands on the issue.

"We wanted stricter and more harmonised rules", industry commissioner Elzbieta Bienkowska told reporters.

Emphasis was put on standards for deactivating weapons such as the Kalashnikovs that were used by the terrorists in Paris.

Rules on acquiring and marking weapons will also be harmonised, and some semi-automatic weapons will be banned.

EU citizens to be checked at Schengen borders

EU justice and interior ministers meeting Friday will ask the commission to change the Schengen area rules and will push for better use of technologies to control external and internal borders.

EU agrees on Schengen checks for all

EU "collective reaction must be ruthless," said French minister, as controls are to be stepped up for migrants and EU nationals.

Opinion

Orbán's 'revenge law' is an Orwellian crackdown on education

On Tuesday, the Hungarian parliament passed a troubling piece of legislation known by its critics as the 'revenge law', which aims to punish and intimidate teachers who dare to defy Viktor Orbán's regime. This law is a brutally oppressive tool.

Latest News

  1. Here's the headline of every op-ed imploring something to stop
  2. Report: Tax richest 0.5%, raise €213bn for EU coffers
  3. EU aid for Africa risks violating spending rules, Oxfam says
  4. Activists push €40bn fossil subsidies into Dutch-election spotlight
  5. Europe must Trump-proof its Ukraine arms supplies
  6. Antifascism and fascism are opposites, whatever elites say
  7. MEPs back Germany's Buch to lead ECB supervisory arm
  8. Russia to blame for Azerbaijan attack, EU says

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. International Medical Devices Regulators Forum (IMDRF)Join regulators, industry & healthcare experts at the 24th IMDRF session, September 25-26, Berlin. Register by 20 Sept to join in person or online.
  2. UNOPSUNOPS begins works under EU-funded project to repair schools in Ukraine
  3. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsGeorgia effectively prevents sanctions evasion against Russia – confirm EU, UK, USA
  4. International Medical Devices Regulators Forum (IMDRF)Join regulators & industry experts at the 24th IMDRF session- Berlin September 25-26. Register early for discounted hotel rates
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersGlobal interest in the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations – here are the speakers for the launch
  6. Nordic Council of Ministers20 June: Launch of the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. International Sustainable Finance CentreJoin CEE Sustainable Finance Summit, 15 – 19 May 2023, high-level event for finance & business
  2. ICLEISeven actionable measures to make food procurement in Europe more sustainable
  3. World BankWorld Bank Report Highlights Role of Human Development for a Successful Green Transition in Europe
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersNordic summit to step up the fight against food loss and waste
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersThink-tank: Strengthen co-operation around tech giants’ influence in the Nordics
  6. EFBWWEFBWW calls for the EC to stop exploitation in subcontracting chains

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us