7/2/2017

	Schengen area: Council recommends prolongation of internal border controls
	On 7 February 2016, the Council adopted an implementing decision setting out a recommendation to prolong temporary internal border controls in exceptional circumstances.  Starting from 11 February 2017, when the previous decision expires, Austria, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway should prolong proportionate temporary border controls for a maximum period of three months at the following internal borders:   Austria at the Austrian-Hungarian land border and Austrian-Slovenian land border Germany at the German-Austrian land border Denmark in the Danish ports with ferry connections to Germany and at the Danish-German land border Sweden in the Swedish harbours in the Police Region South and West and at the Öresund bridge Norway in the Norwegian ports with ferry connections to Denmark, Germany and Sweden  Before prolonging such controls, those member states concerned should exchange views with the relevant member states to ensure that internal border controls are carried out only where it is considered necessary and proportionate. They should also ensure that internal border controls are only carried out as a last resort when other alternative measures cannot achieve the same effect.  Border controls should be targeted and limited in scope, frequency, location and time, to what is strictly necessary to respond to the serious threat and to safeguard public policy and internal security resulting from the continued risk of secondary movements of irregular migrants.  The member states that carry out these controls should review each week whether they are still necessary and adjust them to the level of the threat, phasing them out wherever appropriate. They should report to the Commission and the Council every month.