After a proposal by the European Commission and its adoption by the Council, new more systematic checks have been introduced at the external border of the EU. The reinforced controls have been introduced mainly to counteract the growing threat from foreign terrorist fighters and to manage better migration flows. The new rules require that documents must be carefully inspected to check their authenticity, then their information must be cross-checked on the relevant databases (e.g. the Schengen Information System, SIS, and Interpol’s stolen and lost document system, SLTD). The reinforced controls will be performed both at land border checkpoints and at ports and airports for persons coming from or going to extra-Schengen destinations.

All EU citizens living in the Schengen Area will be subject to these systematic checks when crossing an external Schengen border. The new checks differ from the simple visual check of the ID document performed before the entry into force of the new measures. The entry into force of the new control measures does not impact the free movement of people inside the Schengen Area.

Davide Scavuzzo