New era in Schengen system: Europe bids farewell to “Unlimited Schengen”

The wave of “compromises on freedoms” continues to rise worldwide. Faced with the accelerated influx of migrants from the Middle East and Ukraine, many Schengen member countries have decided to reintroduce customs controls.

In the normally border-free Schengen Zone with 27 members, border controls have been “temporarily” reinstated. Border controls have started or increased in 11 of the 27 countries. The reason is refugees. Croatia, which became the latest country to join the Schengen system on January 1, 2023, had previously caused queues at passport controls for those wanting to travel by road to neighboring Slovenia or Austria, especially during the tourist influx in the summer months.

Then, on the night of December 31, 2022, all customs gates were lifted, and free entry into Europe was allowed. However, the joy of “limitless life” did not last even a year. When illegal entries to EU countries surged through the Balkan route, countries most affected by the influx of migrants, such as Germany, Austria, and Italy, decided to tighten control of their borders with neighboring countries.

Italy, to its northeast neighbor Slovenia, and Slovenia to its eastern neighbor Croatia reintroduced customs controls. Bosnia and Serbia, the eastern neighbors of Croatia, are considered the most popular “funnel” countries for crossing into the EU through the Balkan route, according to an article on media. Croatia is now obliged to control one of the largest and most problematic borders of the Schengen.

A severe blow to more than 400 million people

Thus, border controls have come back to life “temporarily” in the 27-member Schengen area, which is normally a free movement zone. It can be declared temporarily for up to 6 months legally… Otherwise, how long it will last is uncertain. Schengen rules allowed customs controls as a “last resort” in cases considered a serious threat to internal security or public policy.

That threshold has now been reached. Fear and anxiety are as effective as the most contagious virus. Everyone is looking at each other and quickly rebuilding “walls.” According to the website of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs, 11 countries are currently conducting temporary border controls: Italy, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovenia, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and France. Thus, a heavy shadow has been cast on the “limitless travel” opportunity for more than 400 million people living in the 27 Schengen countries.

Customs police in pursuit of illegal immigrants stop almost every vehicle. Croatians say, “We are not the cause but the victims of these practices.” According to the EU border control agency Frontex, more than 300,000 migrants entered the EU illegally through the so-called “Balkan route” in 2022. This is the highest figure since the more than 1 million Syrians who came to Germany via the same route in 2015-2016. According to data until October of this year, about 100,000 migrants were recorded on this route.

Frontex reports that most of those traveling to Western Europe through this route are Afghans, followed by Turkish, Moroccan, and Pakistani nationals. Most of them try to reach “rich Europe” through Croatia. Migrants trying to reach Europe, fleeing wars and economic crises and risking their lives, are pushing Europe to “close” even more. Freedoms are being curtailed, borders and walls are becoming up-to-date, and anti-immigrant nationalist rhetoric and parties are gaining strength.

Europe’s problem is being too attractive

Addressing this issue, the Financial Times asks the question, “What is Europe’s problem?” and answers, “Being too attractive.” It summarizes the contradiction with the following sentence: “By actually betraying its own values with strict anti-immigrant measures and anxiety-inducing rhetoric, the old continent is betraying itself.”