The European Union decided on Friday to limit its open borders policy temporarily and in exceptional circumstances, adding a different aspect to the Schengen Treaty created 16 years ago.
The decision was adopted in this capital as part of a two-day EU summit which on Thursday discussed the Greek crisis and the neoliberal Economic Governance Program.
In September, the European Commission will present a proposal to modify the Treaty’s regulations which would establish exceptions to the principle of the free circulation of persons so that participating countries can restore controls.
France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark advocated the restoration of national borders based on the recent wave of immigrants, mainly from North Africa.
This would be the first change to the Treaty since it was created in 1985 to allow the free circulation of goods and people through European countries.
It was decided at the summit that the so-called mechanism of self-defense could only be put into practice in exceptional, clearly-defined situations, such as unexpected pressure along borders or when a member State fails to comply with a regulation.
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