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Tuesday, November 10, 2020
After the recent Islamist attacks, France and Austria agree to rigorous protection of the EU’s external borders. In addition to President Macron and Chancellor Kurz, Merkel has also announced a new system that will better record entries and exits. Europol will also be expanded.
Following the recent Islamist terrorist attacks, top European heads of government and EU politicians have spoken out in favor of greater cooperation between security authorities and better protection of the Schengen external borders. Chancellor Angela Merkel had previously discussed together with French President Emmanuel Macron, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, as well as the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, and the President of the EU Commission , Ursula von der Leyen.
“Every security breach in an EU member state is also a threat to all other countries,” Macron said. “We cannot keep our borders open if we do not fundamentally reform the Schengen rules. We have to carry out this reform so that Schengen is also a security area.”
Kurz made a similar statement. “We are all happy to be able to live in a Europe without internal borders. But we will only be able to maintain that if our external borders work,” Kurz said. This applies to migration, but it also refers to security issues with regard to people entering and leaving Europe. “If we fail to guarantee this everywhere on the Schengen border, then Europe without internal borders is in long-term danger,” Kurz warned. This should be avoided. It is also about equipping the security forces with more skills to deal with and monitor Islamist threats. Many of them would be released from jail without renouncing terrorism.
Europol should have more power
In recent weeks, several attacks motivated by Islamists have caused horror. A 20-year-old Islamist shot four people in Vienna. The Islamic State terrorist organization has claimed responsibility for the attack. In France, an extremist had beheaded teacher Samuel Paty, who had spoken about freedom of expression in class. In Nice, an Islamist killed three people in a church. The man had recently entered the EU illegally and then from Italy to France.
Commission President von der Leyen promised that her agency would propose an anti-terrorist agenda on December 9 with a strengthened mandate for Europol. A new Schengen strategy should be presented in May next year, in which the Eurodac for the identification of asylum seekers and certain third country nationals should be strengthened and Europol should have better access to information. “A Europe without internal borders is only possible with reliable protection of external borders,” said von der Leyen.
Von der Leyen also spoke in favor of greater prevention in the fight against Islamist terrorism, which should also aim at better prospects for young people. He also warned EU member states that measures that have already been taken in the fight against terrorism must be implemented. According to von der Leyen, the 2017 directive on the acquisition and possession of weapons has not been sufficiently implemented so far.
Merkel announces new system for Schengen
Merkel also saw the need for better controls at Schengen’s external borders. The entry and exit system envisaged in the Schengen area should be ready in 2022. “We urgently need to know who is coming with us, but we also need to know who is leaving the Schengen area again. We also need to know this for the countries with whom that we have visa-free travel, “Merkel said. “You have to use everything you have to accelerate.” It’s not about more controls within the Schengen area, because there you can use the veil detection instrument, Merkel said.
The Dutch Rutte was more skeptical about the future of the Schengen area. He was “very concerned about Schengen,” Rutte said. The fundamentals of the Schengen concept would not change because one of the great achievements of Europe was that the internal borders were open. “We can only maintain this achievement if we really control our external borders well,” Rutte warned.
