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| Tired of Leaky Borders, E.U. Plans to Seize Control | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| BRUSSELS — European Union authorities on Tuesday proposed taking control of border and coastal security at popular entry points for migrants in countries like Greece and Italy, to get a grip on a crisis that has divided the bloc and fed the rise of populist political movements. | BRUSSELS — European Union authorities on Tuesday proposed taking control of border and coastal security at popular entry points for migrants in countries like Greece and Italy, to get a grip on a crisis that has divided the bloc and fed the rise of populist political movements. |
| Officials at the European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, said the centralized approach to border security would shore up confidence that the bloc can manage the migration crisis and would save one of its flagship policies: the Schengen rules that allow the free movement of citizens across most of Europe’s internal borders. | Officials at the European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, said the centralized approach to border security would shore up confidence that the bloc can manage the migration crisis and would save one of its flagship policies: the Schengen rules that allow the free movement of citizens across most of Europe’s internal borders. |
| The proposal could be discussed at a summit meeting of the national leaders of the European Union’s 28 member states in Brussels on Thursday. | The proposal could be discussed at a summit meeting of the national leaders of the European Union’s 28 member states in Brussels on Thursday. |
| Like the long effort to save the euro that began six years ago, the migration crisis is mainly focused on pushing one country, in this case Greece, to abide by European Union rules in exchange for greater support from other countries, namely Germany, that fear the repercussions of problems on the bloc’s periphery. | Like the long effort to save the euro that began six years ago, the migration crisis is mainly focused on pushing one country, in this case Greece, to abide by European Union rules in exchange for greater support from other countries, namely Germany, that fear the repercussions of problems on the bloc’s periphery. |
| Rescuing Greece from a messy departure from the single currency took years of grinding negotiations, and approval for the new border system could get bogged down in similar procedures involving national governments and the European Parliament. | Rescuing Greece from a messy departure from the single currency took years of grinding negotiations, and approval for the new border system could get bogged down in similar procedures involving national governments and the European Parliament. |
| The proposals already face opposition from countries that suspect a blunt power grab by Brussels intended to diminish their national sovereignty. | The proposals already face opposition from countries that suspect a blunt power grab by Brussels intended to diminish their national sovereignty. |
| Even so, momentum has been building in France and Germany for the kind of initiative that was announced on Tuesday. | Even so, momentum has been building in France and Germany for the kind of initiative that was announced on Tuesday. |
| Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany is under severe pressure to reduce and restrict the number of migrants clamoring for asylum in wealthy northern European countries. Reinforcing the bloc’s external borders is also a priority for France, where two of the participants in terrorist attacks in Paris last month posed as refugees to enter the European Union through Greece. | Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany is under severe pressure to reduce and restrict the number of migrants clamoring for asylum in wealthy northern European countries. Reinforcing the bloc’s external borders is also a priority for France, where two of the participants in terrorist attacks in Paris last month posed as refugees to enter the European Union through Greece. |
| “Managing Europe’s external borders must be a shared responsibility,” Frans Timmermans, first vice president of the European Commission, said in a statement. “The crisis has exposed clear weaknesses and gaps in existing mechanisms aimed at making sure that E.U. standards are upheld. Therefore, it is now time to move to a truly integrated system of border management.” | “Managing Europe’s external borders must be a shared responsibility,” Frans Timmermans, first vice president of the European Commission, said in a statement. “The crisis has exposed clear weaknesses and gaps in existing mechanisms aimed at making sure that E.U. standards are upheld. Therefore, it is now time to move to a truly integrated system of border management.” |
| The plan would double the staff of the current border agency, Frontex, and would create a separate reserve force, drawn from national authorities responsible for border management, to create a European Border and Coast Guard Agency. | The plan would double the staff of the current border agency, Frontex, and would create a separate reserve force, drawn from national authorities responsible for border management, to create a European Border and Coast Guard Agency. |
| The new agency would have a permanent staff of 1,000 people, with a so-called rapid reserve pool of 1,500 border guards, drawn from countries in the bloc that are part of its free movement zone and who could be deployed to vulnerable areas within three days. | The new agency would have a permanent staff of 1,000 people, with a so-called rapid reserve pool of 1,500 border guards, drawn from countries in the bloc that are part of its free movement zone and who could be deployed to vulnerable areas within three days. |
| Whether the new agency or the national authorities would have the final say on whether the border force should be deployed is likely to be among the most delicate issues standing in the way of quick approval. | Whether the new agency or the national authorities would have the final say on whether the border force should be deployed is likely to be among the most delicate issues standing in the way of quick approval. |
| There are also concerns about whether the new agency would be sufficiently accountable to protect the rights of migrants. | There are also concerns about whether the new agency would be sufficiently accountable to protect the rights of migrants. |
| “Any European proposals on border control mechanisms must not risk the same violations that have been witnessed at national level,” Iverna McGowan, the acting director of Amnesty International’s European Institutions Office, said in a statement. “Watertight safeguards and impartial accountability mechanisms will be needed against pushbacks, and use of violence or other abuses at the border.” | “Any European proposals on border control mechanisms must not risk the same violations that have been witnessed at national level,” Iverna McGowan, the acting director of Amnesty International’s European Institutions Office, said in a statement. “Watertight safeguards and impartial accountability mechanisms will be needed against pushbacks, and use of violence or other abuses at the border.” |
| The proposal announced on Tuesday contained several other initiatives, including the creation of a European Return Office made up of “escorts, monitors and return specialists” to help remove “illegally staying third country nationals” from the European Union. | The proposal announced on Tuesday contained several other initiatives, including the creation of a European Return Office made up of “escorts, monitors and return specialists” to help remove “illegally staying third country nationals” from the European Union. |
| To bolster security, there should be “mandatory systematic checks of E.U. citizens at external land, sea, and air borders,” the commission said, adding that travelers’ details would be entered into a variety of European and national databases. Under the plan, travelers would also be checked when leaving the European Union. | To bolster security, there should be “mandatory systematic checks of E.U. citizens at external land, sea, and air borders,” the commission said, adding that travelers’ details would be entered into a variety of European and national databases. Under the plan, travelers would also be checked when leaving the European Union. |