Border controls should not remain permanent, according to Juncker. - Enhancing EU Citizenship Count within the EU by Proposal of the Commission
Hey there! Let's dive into the latest EU drama with former Commission President, JC Juncker. This guy ain't holding back when it comes to border controls – he's giving EU countries the lowdown on why they should keep those barriers open.
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So, what's Juncker's beef? Well, see, permanent border controls are antithetical to the ethos of the Schengen agreements, according to Mr. Juncker. Some EU nations have already got their hands on the control levers at their borders – a whopping 10 of 'em, to be exact. But somehow, the message to citizens isn't clear – these border checks are meant to be temporary.
In Germany, for instance, you hear folks calling for permanent border controls, which, in the eyes of our EU vet, runs counter to the Schengen spirit. Juncker's particularly bent out of shape about the controls at the border with his native Luxembourg, where daily commutes have been made a living nightmare.
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Should you be expecting fireworks on June 14th? That's the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Schengen Agreement, y'know, that little EU agreement that scrapped most border controls. It's gonna be a bash in the Luxembourg town of Schengen – well, unless that bitter taste of border controls keeps dampening the mood.
Juncker sees those danged controls as a thorn in the side of the Schengen dream, y'see. The goal here is to let EU citizens move between countries without a hitch. Still, with border controls rearing their ugly head, the celebration might become a plaintive ode to a vanishing vision.
Fear not, though – Juncker's planning on being there amongst the laughter and tears, presumably reflecting on how far we've come, and how much further the EU could go if only those pesky border controls could be kept at bay.
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Germany's got a special role to play in this debacle, so it seems. The country slapped border controls on all its external frontiers in mid-2024, citing the fight against illegal migration. Under the new government, those controls have only grown stronger.
Wonder if Germany's commitment to the Schengen Agreement is starting to falter? Well, if it continues to normalize border controls, it'll open the floodgates for others to follow suit, warns Juncker. Here's hoping that Chancellor-elect Friedrich Merz slots on the brakes before EU solidarity spirals out of control.
Juncker's keeping an eye on the EU's drift towards a unclear pro-European consensus, too. Populists are on the march, and Juncker's not happy about it – witness the latest drama in Poland's presidential election. Plus, as more folks in center-aligned parties jump on the populist bandwagon, Juncker's calling for a return to a strong, pro-European discourse.
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Wondering who JC Juncker is? He's the one-time boss of the European Commission and a leading EU figurehead. And if you've got any doubts about border controls, Germany, or the EU, well, Juncker's got a take on it! But remember, these are just the highlights – for the full scoop, dig into the juicy details we've sprinkled in for you.
- Jean-Claude Juncker
- Border Control
- EU
- Schengen
- Permanent State
- Germany
- Luxembourg
- Reinstatement
- Friedrich Merz
- Populism
- Political Integration
- Economic Impact
[1] Schengen Agreement and its Principle of Free Movement: https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/sites/homeaffaires/files/what-we-do/policies/borders-and-visas/documents/practical-guide-schengen-border-control-0.pdf
[2] The Effect of Border Controls on the EU Economy: https://ec.europa.eu/info/publications/economic-analysis-border-controls_en
- Migration and war-and-conflicts are factors that increase the need for strong border control policies in EU countries, according to Jean-Claude Juncker.
- The reinstatement of permanent border controls in some EU countries is causing tension, as it goes against the principles of the Schengen Agreement, particularly in countries like Germany and Luxembourg where daily commutes have been disrupted.
- In light of the growing trend of populism in politics and policy-and-legislation, Jean-Claude Juncker is advocating for a return to a strong pro-European discourse, as he warns against the potential normalization of permanent border controls that could compromise EU solidarity and economic integration.
