Border controls affect freedom of movement in the Nordic Region
The passport union is one of the cornerstones of Nordic co-operation with thousands of Danes and Swedes commuting over the Öresund bridge on a daily basis. Jakob Schmidth, Senior Advisor at the Nordic Council of Ministers’ border barrier secretariat confirms that this decision will affect these people as well.
“The basic rule of the Nordic passport control agreement is that everyone should be free to travel between the Nordic countries without having to show a passport at borders. But the Nordic countries are entitled to introduce temporary passport checks at internal Nordic borders for reasons of national security or public order. This is what is now happening in Sweden.
The full details of these border controls have not yet been determined. At a press conference on Wednesday evening, Swedish Minister for Home Affairs Ander Ygeman said that those arriving at the Swedish border have three options – to present a legal travel document and continue their journey, to seek asylum in Sweden, or turn around.
Temporary border controls starting today
Authorities expect border checks to result in delays for commuters in some areas of the Öresund Region in particular, at least during the first few days. Minister Ygeman stressed that the police have been given additional resources to carry out the checks. It is unclear if everyone crossing the border will be checked, but Article 6 of the Schengen agreement forbids authorities from selecting those to be checked on the basis of, for example, their skin colour or ethnic background.
The Nordic countries are entitled to introduce temporary passport checks at internal Nordic borders for reasons of national security or public order. This is what is now happening in Sweden.The request for border checks came from the Swedish Migration Agency and the police have confirmed that the public order and security criteria required by the Schengen agreement for implementing such checks have been met. The Swedish government has informed the European Commission and neighbouring governments of its decision. The Schengen agreement allows only temporary border controls. After the first ten days, the government may decide to extend this for 20 days at a time if the situation remains unchanged.
The passport union continues to apply between the other Nordic countries. Nordic citizens have right of residence and the right to travel without a passport throughout the Nordic Region.
