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Migrant crisis: EU threatens Greece over border controls | |
(35 minutes later) | |
Greece could face new border controls with other states if it fails to fix "serious deficiencies" in its management of the external frontier of the passport-free Schengen zone. | |
In a draft report, the European Commission said Greece was "seriously neglecting its obligations". | |
It found failures to register, check and fingerprint migrants arriving in November. | |
If the report is approved, Greece will be given three months to improve. | |
Otherwise, the Commission may recommend other states reintroduce temporary border controls. | |
Growing pressure | |
The migrant crisis has put the future of the Schengen agreement at risk. | |
More than 850,000 migrants and refugees arrived in Greece last year. | More than 850,000 migrants and refugees arrived in Greece last year. |
A further 44,000 have reached the Greek islands since the start of 2016, mostly arriving on Lesbos, Samos and Chios from the Turkish mainland. | A further 44,000 have reached the Greek islands since the start of 2016, mostly arriving on Lesbos, Samos and Chios from the Turkish mainland. |
There is growing pressure on Athens to deal with the flow of migrants. Most go on to travel through Europe to countries such as Germany and Sweden. | |
Several EU states, including Austria and Hungary, have already introduced temporary border controls to reduce the number of arrivals. | Several EU states, including Austria and Hungary, have already introduced temporary border controls to reduce the number of arrivals. |
European Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis told a news conference in Brussels that the "draft report concludes that Greece seriously neglected its obligations" under the Schengen agreement. | |
He said there were "serious deficiencies in the carrying out of external border controls that must be overcome and dealt with by the Greek authorities". | |
Migration and Home Affairs Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos conceded that Greece had "started undertaking efforts towards rectifying and complying with the Schengen rules" since the report was undertaken in November. | |
However, "substantial improvements" were needed. | |
The report must be approved by Schengen members before a three-month deadline can be imposed. |