Since early this month, Denmark has said it's been boosting its border controls. But a team of experts from the EU Commission last week found no customs officers at any of the border sites they inspected.

This has raised questions at a two-day meeting of Europe's 27 EU interior and justice ministers in Sopot, Poland. The ministers are discussing the bloc's border-free Schengen zone, asylum and immigration issues and ways to strengthen the EU's external borders.

Denmark's controversial decision in May to beef up its border controls to deal with threats from foreign crime, including illegal immigration and human trafficking, has seen internal border controls top the agenda.

Copenhagen's unilateral decision is seen by many as a threat to the passport-free Schengen travel zone, which is a cornerstone of Europe's plans for continued integration.

Schengen vital to Europe's integration

"Every change in this sphere must be preceded by a very detailed discussion on why we should give up these values," said Jerzy Miller, the Poland's interior minister. Poland currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union.

"The signal Denmark sent wasn't really ideal, because it raised suspicions that this was undermining the Schengen agreement," said German Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich. He said whatever Denmark's intention was, it was sending the wrong message.

"Perhaps Denmark should reconsider whether it wants to send a negative message. Many fear that we take a step back if we change something in the Schengen agreement. I don't see it like that; we have to discuss it." said Friedrich.

EU leaders agreed last month that member states should be able to react quickly to extraordinary situations and temporarily reintroduce border controls.

France, Italy and other governments had expressed concern about a sharp increase in asylum seekers from North Africa early this year following internal strife in Tunisia and Libya.

Denmark's justifications 'not sufficient'

The EU Commission in Brussels, the EU's executive body, feels increasingly responsible for the Schengen Treaty and wants to ensure that Denmark is not violating the European Union's open border rules. The Commission said Monday that Denmark's justifications for intensifying border controls were not sufficient.

The Scandinavian country has defended its heightened border controls, saying a clause in the Schengen Treaty allows for frontier checks to be introduced for 30 days in cases of threats to national security.

Last week, a working group of EU commission officials travelled to Denmark to inspect its controversial border controls, including the Oresund Bridge linking Denmark with Sweden. The group said it found no sign of the customs officers deployed earlier this month.

"We chose to come on a day that suited the authorities, and we understand that they have a control system that is not public, and we do not want to have such controls carried out artificially," said Belinda Pyke, team leader of the Commission's working group.

"We have no need to make a big thing of it. We want to understand how the system functions," she added.

Strict monitoring

Denmark deployed 50 new customs officers at its borders with Germany and Sweden on July 5. It did so under pressure from a far-right ally.

Cecilia Malmstroem, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, on Monday said she would closely monitor the deployment to ensure it did not violate the European Union's open border rules. She said a "strict monitoring" system was necessary, and added that Denmark could expect more visits from Commission experts.

Copenhagen has said it was willing to answer any questions about its border control after the Commission earlier questioned the new policy, the Danish news agency Ritzau reported.

Author: Wilhelmina Lyffyt (Reuters, AFP, dpa)
Editor: Martin Kuebler