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Increased Border Checks in Scandinavian Countries
January 14, 2016
New identity checks were introduced on Monday for those that are travelling from Denmark to Sweden. In relation to this move, Denmark have also imposed new controls for those that wish to move through its border with Germany.
The move by the two states comes as migrants continue to enter from Turkey and Greece as they look to migrate into Europe. Scandinavian countries have expressed increased concern about the influx of migrants looking to reach European countries. Their main concerns are the intentions of the migrants to use the welfare systems of these nations to their advantage.
The large numbers of migrants from non-European countries has led to a change in attitude from the Scandinavian states, from promoting an pen boarder policy, to imposing increased border controls to help stem the flow of migrants. Denmark has cut benefits by about 50 percent and has introduced language requirements for those migrants seeking permanent residency. Sweden have also re-introduced passport checks for the first time in over half a century. Other Scandinavian countries have also implemented deterrents to those looking to migrate from outside the EU, including enacting razor wire fences and issuing warnings to asylum-seekers in Arabic.
These new border controls will be a major hurdle for asylum-seekers trying to enter the Scandinavian nations as many carry no official documentation. Whilst the changes have been supported in their own countries, there have been concerns raised by other EU member states such as Germany. Martin Schaefer, a Foreign Ministry spokesman, has spoken of the continued erosion of the Schengen Agreement, declaring that it was “perhaps one of the greatest achievements in the last 60 years.” He did, however, note that the migrant levels in Europe at present were putting enormous strains on the system.
The below infographic shows the countries under the most strain from the European Migration Crisis:
Should you need immigration advice on Scandinavian countries, please contact us.
