engleski

Schengen – free movement area?

Migrations are one of the most important challenges currently facing the European Union. Regularly associated with the migration issue is the question of the Schengen Border, as well as cooperation between the EU and member countries in the fight against terrorism. The European Union is a free movement area, and the Schengen Border is its outer shield. A significant issue for the EU are the diverse positions its members have towards the role of borders and the border regime, as well as insufficient cooperation concerning EU external and security policies, given that certain countries make decisions according to their own personal interests. Another issue is the porosity of the Schengen Border at certain locations, which was particularly evident at the Greek border during the recent refugee crisis, from where the migration wave began as if borders did not exist. The legal norms enable the cessation of the Schengen regime for a certain period of time, which some countries have used, in this manner temporarily departing from European values. Austria, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway even announced that they were going to extend border controls even after May 2018, when their current permission expires, however, the European Commission has yet to receive their requests. Only France has notified the Commission that, due to frequent terrorist threats, it intends on extending border controls even after the expiry of the current permission. There is no clear answer to whether, after the expiry of the defined period, everything will return to as it was before or certain countries will continue to enforce border controls within the Schengen Border. In 2017, the European Commission recommended amendments to the Schengen Borders Code with the intention of updating regulations on the reintroduction of temporary controls at internal borders and to align them to current requirements for resolving increasing threats to public policies and/or internal security. Croatia is striving to enter the Schengen Area because it has the abilities and capacities for access to the Schengen Area. When exactly this access will occur – which is Croatia’s strategic, national interest, is a political decision. Namely, after the European Union’s assessment, Croatia’s accession to the Schengen Area must be ratified by the national parliaments of all EU member states, which are currently concerned with Croatia’s extensive borders with neighbouring countries (at a time when the refugee crisis has not yet ended) and some unresolved cross-border issues, as well as regional instability, at whose root are the great powers’ battle to establish their sphere of influence.

European Union ; schengen ; border control ; migrations ; terrorism

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