The Council of the European Union finally agreed on Friday on the updated Schengen Border Code, which will allow the suspension of access of third-country nationals in the event of epidemics, regulates the temporary closure of borders within the Schengen area, and also gives states additional opportunities to combat illegal migration.
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“The regulation makes it possible to restrict the access of third-country nationals at EU-wide level in the event of a large-scale health emergency,” the EU Council said in a communiqué.
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The EU recalled that during the coronavirus pandemic, Brussels could not close external borders, but only accepted recommendations on opening or suspending communications with certain states. Now the EU will be able to centrally not only close borders, but also introduce, for example, rules for mandatory testing, quarantine or self-isolation of visitors.
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In addition, in the event of a migration crisis such as the situation on the border of Belarus with Poland, Lithuania and Latvia in 2021, EU countries can now reduce the number of existing checkpoints, limit their operation by time, and strengthen measures to protect the external border of the EU. The new rules will also allow illegal migrants to be deported to the EU country from which they came.
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As for the borders of states within the Schengen area, border controls can be introduced in exceptional cases and for a period of no more than two years, with the possibility of extension for another six months.
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The European Commission previously announced the Schengen reform. The EC advocates maintaining free movement within the Schengen area while strengthening controls at external borders. The main goal of such reforms is to guarantee the safety of residents and guests of the Schengen area.
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The concept of reform of the Schengen area, in particular, implies “strengthening control and optimizing work at external borders, strengthening cooperation and exchange of information between EU states, especially police services.” The EC also advocates the creation of interconnected security systems that will receive support from EU institutions.
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In mid-2021, several thousand migrants gathered at the Polish-Belarusian border wanting to enter EU countries. Polish authorities have strengthened border security, deployed the military and stopped attempts by illegal immigrants to enter the country, blaming Minsk for the migration crisis.
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Belarus rejected all these accusations, saying that Poland is forcibly expelling migrants to its territory, artificially escalating the refugee situation. President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko noted that Minsk will no longer restrain the flow of illegal migrants to EU countries: due to Western sanctions, there is “neither money nor strength” for this.
