As Europe like the rest of the world starts to raise questions about national safety, France has become the latest country to announce that it will be implementing border checks at its frontier with Luxembourg.
In the midst of world conflict, this comes as no surprise, yet is indisputably a sad and worrying sign of worse to come. Not only has France chosen to introduce this security measure with Luxembourg borders but also with five other neighbouring countries as it tightens it belt against fears of terrorist attacks, which increasingly rely on internal migration routes to reach their target.
The move will take place between November 1 2024 to April 2025 and will include Luxembourg, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Spain. It will not only include land controls, but also air and sea routes, which will inevitably affect travel. The emerging picture is one of the European Union (EU) gradually fracturing into individual nations, with restricted free movement, as countries within the Schengen area increasingly adopt border controls with their neighbours.
Terrorist threat main reason for border controls between France and neighboring countries
The French government listed the following motives for enforcing border controls for the European Commission: “Serious threats to public policy, public order, and internal security posed by high-level terrorist activities, the growing presence of criminal networks facilitating irregular migration and smuggling, and migration flows that risk infiltration by radicalised individuals. ” On the EU Commission website, it also referred to English Channel and North Sea crossings where migrants reacting to unstable conditions and a mixed welcome in host countries could become violent, prompting “dangerous situations involving both migrants and law enforcement.”
The situation mirrors Germany’s decision to reinstate border checks with Luxembourg. Last month, checkpoints were mounted along motorways bordering with Luxembourg in an almost identical attempt to reduce the risk of terrorism and to establish more stringent controls on immigration. It is among eight countries to have followed this initiative, although the European Commission has stipulated that this should only be a temporary measure as it contradicts the core principles of the EU.
Concern grows as more Schengen countries implement border controls and Europe fragments
As France becomes the latest Schengen country to reintroduce border controls with its neighbours, fears of a fragmented Europe may grow among its citizens. However, the hope is that these measures, though unsettling, will strengthen security and help curb the threat of terrorist attacks as effectively as possible. While this step challenges the ideals of open borders, it reflects the urgent need to balance freedom of movement with the safety of the people—striving to protect both lives and the values that define Europe.
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