Reinstatement of Internal Border Controls in the Schengen Area. Conflict, Symbolism and Institutional Dynamics

• Author: Galina Cornelisse
• Profession: Associate Professor of EU and International Law at VU University Amsterdam
• Pages: 81-92

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7. REINSTATEMENT OF

INTERNAL BORDER CONTROLS

IN THE SCHENGEN AREA

CONFLICT, SYMBOLISM AND

INSTITUTIONAL DYNAMICS

Galina Cornelisse

1. Introduction

is Chapter addresses Schengen, focusing in particular on the

re-instalment of internal border controls by Member States. Since

2015, internal border controls have been reinstalled more than 80

times, with Member States justifying these measures on account

of secondary movements of migrants, the threat of terrorism and

the situation at the external borders of the EU. Currently, Norway,

Denmark, Sweden, France, Germany and Austria have reinstalled

internal border controls, either at all internal borders or at spe-

cic points such as particular ferry crossings.1 Many of the current

1 Norway (period from 12 November 2019 - 12 May 2020, Terrorist threats, secondary

movements; ports with ferry connections with Denmark, Germany and Sweden); Swe-

den (period from 12 November 2019 - 12 May 2020, Terrorist threats, shortcomings at

the external borders; to be determined but may concern all internal borders); Denmark

(period from 12 November 2019 - 12 May 2020, Terrorist threats, organized criminal-

ity from Sweden; land border with Germany and with Sweden, ferry connections to

Germany and to Sweden); Germany (period from 12 November 2019 - 12 May 2020,

Secondary movements, situation at the external borders; land border with Austria;

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