Soft on the inside, hard on the outside. That's the principle of the Schengen system. Member states open up their inner borders, but only because they're relying on checks at the EU's outer borders. But the system isn't working anymore.

Every day, thousands of refugees from Italy are crossing the border into Austria, and on into Germany. On the Balkans route, refugees cross outer EU borders as many as three times. After arriving in Greece, they are sent to non-EU member Macedonia, despite heavy protests. Macedonia channels the refugees into Serbia. From there, they go to Hungary, back into EU and Schengen territory.

Even though it's only a transit country, Hungary has had enough and is putting up a fence. That's upsetting many people in Europe. But the fence doesn't just allow Hungary to protect itself, but also the EU's external border, as is expected of it.

Germany is unique

The Dublin Agreement, which states that the first country of contact for refugees is responsible for processing asylum requests, has long become a farce. Italy and Greece, which are the most frequent first points of contact, just ignore Dublin, while the target countries are threatening to start controlling their borders again. Schengen, one of the greatest achievements of the European Union, is in danger.

Given this crisis, it's not enough to argue about a fairer distribution of refugees. If it's not part of a comprehensive strategy, it won't happen. Many states have roundly rejected a quota system. On the other hand, the current voluntary acceptance of refugees cannot continue, because at some point, even the exemplary members Germany and Sweden will reach their limits.

Germany is acting in an exceptional manner at the moment by accepting almost every refugee that comes. Politicians are coming up with suggestions of how to integrate them without even asking if they have a claim to asylum. That's got to be unique.

Guterres not against deportation

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, has called on Europeans for years to accept more refugees from Syria and Iraq. But he can also tell the difference between war refugees and economic migrants. So if he is among those calling for EU-financed registration points at the bloc's external borders, that's saying something.

Officials at these "hot spots" would be tasked not just with registering new arrivals, but also with checking their backgrounds. Those who are arriving for economic reasons would not be permitted to enter the EU. Guterres has clearly realized what is at stake both politically and socially in Europe, if the current uncontrolled migration is allowed to continue.

The registration centers need to have a common set of standards. They would ease the burden on the countries of first contact. But they would also ease the burden on countries like Germany, where individual communities are now having to pay the price of the inefficiency at higher levels.

The system would only work, though, if people are willing to accept the uncomfortable side. All arrivals without a valid asylum claim would have to be turned back, as would those people who try to bypass the registration centers, no matter where they end up. Only then will there be more acceptance for fair distribution of those people who are really in need of protection. It would mean that Germany could play by the same rules as all the other member states, and it's high time that were the case.

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