EU gives green light to German, Swedish temporary border checks. (DS).
The European Commission has formally authorized the temporary re-imposition of border controls by Sweden and Germany's extension of frontier checks to help get a grip on a large influx of asylum seekers, the EU executive said Friday.
With refugees flooding into European Union territory in the worst migrant crisis since World War II, the viability of the EU's Schengen system of open borders is under strain as never before as EU members reintroduce controls at their frontiers.
Sweden, long a haven for people fleeing war and persecution, was the latest EU state to re-establish checks at its borders to stem a tide of migrants coming from Denmark.
Germany reimposed border controls on Sept. 13 and decided to extend them beyond an initial limit of two months foreseen by Schengen rules, using a clause that permits stretching checks to a maximum of six months.
"The temporary reintroduction of border controls between member states is an exceptional possibility explicitly foreseen in and regulated by the Schengen Borders Code, in case of a serious threat to public policy or internal security," the European Commission said in a statement.
The Swedish decision "prima facie appears to be a situation covered by the rules", it said.
The decision replicated similar provisional authorizations granted by the EU executive to Austria, Hungary and Slovenia when they imposed temporary border controls in recent weeks.
"We have no objections to measures that should remain proportionate," a Commission spokeswoman told a regular news briefing. "Saving Schengen is a race against time. And we are determined to win that race," the head of EU leaders, Donald Tusk said after the meeting. Hmmm.........Too late the political face of Europe will be changed coming next election.
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