The Netherlands was one of the few EU countries that until recently conducted active monitoring at the state border. In 2010 alone, Dutch police at border areas found 3,200 illegal migrants and 4,000 individuals suspected of various crimes who did not have the right to enter the country. At that time, officials from the European Commission became concerned about this situation. However, they were not so much worried about the flows of illegal migration within the EU as about the activity of the Dutch police. It should be noted that, according to the Schengen Agreement, systematic control at internal borders is prohibited.
In this regard, last year Brussels adopted amendments to migration legislation that were supposed to end the practice of border control within Schengen. In particular, the use of video surveillance systems was limited to 6 days per month. The strict restrictions eventually affected the Dutch police report as well. Already in 2012, the number of illegal migrants "decreased" to 1,700, and suspicious individuals to 2,400. The police leadership noted that these figures should be considered in the context of the new rules: "We are forced to work within the framework of the new legislation, and we cannot comment on it."
In turn, Dutch politicians accused Brussels of undermining national security. "These restrictions play into the hands of criminals," said Dutch parliament member Klaas Dijkhoff. "Now they know that the checks last a few hours, and they just wait for the police to leave."
The European Commission refuses to heed this argument. Answering journalists' questions about flows of illegal migration at the EU's internal borders, the spokesperson for EU Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmström assured that complete freedom at borders is far more important than attempts to control it: "The creation of the Schengen area is one of the most tangible, popular, and successful achievements of the European Union. Free movement plays a key role in the successful development of the single market and economic growth."
Anton NEVZLIN,
«Russkaya Germaniya».