________ A to Z kerala .......... [kvk] [www.atozkerala.in , www.atozkerala.blogspot.com]
The terror attacks in Paris and the influx of hundreds of
thousands of refugees have European leaders looking to increase control
over their borders, calling into question the continued existence of the
Schengen zone.
The 26-nation area within Europe has no passport
checks or other controls between its internal borders, allowing
travellers to move across countries with ease.
But this Friday,
interior ministers from European Union states meet in Brussels to
discuss the future of the zone, with France pushing for tighter border
controls. This could see Schengen, a historic attempt at a unified
Europe with free movement of people and goods, effectively disbanded
after only two decades of existence.
The agreement, named for the
town in Luxembourg where it was signed, was implemented in 1995. It
applies to an area stretching from Finland all the way to Hungary on
Europe’s southern frontiers. Greece is also a member, though it is
separated from the rest of the countries by the Balkans.
In May,
Emirati citizens were granted a visa waiver for Schengen countries,
making the UAE the first Arab country to be granted free entry to the
zone. Dozens of flights leave Abu Dhabi and Dubai every day for Schengen
countries from which UAE citizens and eligible residents can freely
travel across most of Europe for 90 days in any 190-day period.
Being
able to travel without the hassle and delays of border controls through
most of the European Union (Britain and Ireland are not Schengen
members) benefits not only tourists, but also the spirit of economic
cooperation that the EU aims to promote. Lorries transporting goods save
precious hours by avoiding border controls, as do businesspeople
travelling overland from Berlin to Warsaw, for example.
As the
numbers of people fleeing conflict, political oppression and a lack of
economic opportunities increased over the past year, many European
countries have moved to reintroduce border controls. This is an attempt
by authorities to both organise the flow of refugees and to also
understand who is entering their territory.
Such measures are
understandable, all the more so after 129 people were killed in multiple
terror attacks in Paris on November 13 that were claimed by ISIL. For
months, there were fears that ISIL militants would hide themselves among
refugees to travel to Europe and carry out attacks. Initial reports
suggested that one of the Paris attackers was a refugee, but it was
later reported that the passport found near his dead body was fake,
leaving his true identity unknown. Most of the individuals involved in
the attack were identified as European citizens.
Refugees
fleeing to Europe instead of moving to ISIL-controlled territory is a
significant repudiation of the group’s rule. ISIL has every reason to
want European citizens to fear the refugees. The return of border
controls across Europe over fears caused by the influx of refugees would
be exactly the kind of victory ISIL aims to achieve.
Security
concerns must be taken into account. French president Francois Hollande,
who is demanding stricter controls following the attacks in Paris, aims
to protect his country’s citizens. The Schengen agreement also allows
for the reintroduction of border controls during emergencies.
However,
any long-term curtailing of Schengen is a blow to the international
community. The successful effort at free movement and economic
cooperation among different nationalities, cultures and languages is an
example for other unions of countries, including the Gulf Cooperation
Council (GCC).
“The big question is whether Schengen will be
formally abolished, or if countries will begin to opt out from it,” the
geopolitical risk firm Stratfor said in an analysis following the Paris
attacks.
“The concept of a Europe without borders has become very difficult for governments to defend.”
At
the moment, several Schengen countries, including Germany, France and
Sweden, have re-established border controls. At the least, a revision to
the agreement appears likely to follow the meeting in Brussels on
Friday.
This would come not just at a time when great numbers of
refugees are coming to Europe from the Middle East, but also when
right-wing nationalist parties sceptical of efforts such as Schengen are
gaining ground.
There is the question of whose agenda the ending
or scaling back of Schengen would better serve: that of security
services aiming to prevent a terror attack or that of nationalist
parties?
After all, it appears that most of the extremists who carried out the Paris attacks were citizens of Schengen countries.
The
EU meeting on Friday in Brussels will also discuss stronger weapons
controls, ways to combat terror financing and a European database of
airline passengers.
