Commission extends Schengen controls by 6 months

The European Commission proposed a 6-month extension of emergency border controls in the Schengen area for five countries, Wednesday. The controls would normally end on May 12, but if the proposal, announced by Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos, is adopted the following countries will maintain their border controls for the next six months: Austria will retain its control on the borders with Hungary and Slovenia; Germany on its borders with Austria; Denmark on its water and land borders with Germany; Sweden on its ports and the Oresund bridge; and Norway on its ports for ships arriving from Denmark, Germany and Sweden. Avramopoulos made it clear this was a temporary measure, adding that Greece had achieved ‘great progress’. He did stress that many deficiencies had not yet been addressed. The goal of the Commission is to completely lift controls by the end of the year.