EU allows five Schengen states to prolong border controls for three months

The Council of European Union (EU) on Friday adopted a decision allowing five Schengen states to carry out internal border controls for another three months, despite that the influx of migrants has fallen dramatically.

Starting from the date of the adoption, Austria, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway should prolong proportionate temporary border controls for a maximum period of three months, according to a press release of the council.

These countries were supposed to lift all internal border controls by November 12, in accordance with the decision made by EU members in May.

"Our ultimate objective is to get back to Schengen as soon as possible. Although we are not there yet, the situation is improving. The prolongation will therefore be for three months only, " said Robert Kalinak, Slovak Interior Minister, adding " there will be more intensive reporting obligations compared to the previous period."

According to the press release, border controls should be strictly targeted and limited in scope, frequency, location and time.

The five Schengen states not only should review the border controls each week, assessing whether the measures are still necessary, but also should report to the European Commission every month.

Given the current fragile situation in Greece and the residue of pressure remaining in the members most affected by the secondary movements of migrants and asylum seekers, the commission submitted on October 26 a proposal recommending that the five Schengen states prolong the temporary internal border controls for a maximum period of three months.

The Schengen area included 26 European countries that have abolished passport and any other type of border control at their mutual borders. However, border checks have become the norm in parts of Schengen area that saw massive influx of migrants last summer and autumn.