The borders of Europe

While before Christmas internal borders will be pulled down in another nine EU states, a dream will come true for many of them. Less than four years after their accession to the EU, the citizens of many states in Central and Eastern Europe regard themselves as more of EU members, in all respects. The fact 400 million European citizens will travel without any checkpoints at the borders proves that the “iron curtain” will be buried once and for all. While it is true that in Germany there are still restraints on the workers’ freedom to settle there, no later than 2011 even these barriers will have to be pulled down. Then the extension will be truly complete.The fact that in future the EU citizens of Central and Eastern Europe will no longer be checked when crossing a border, however, strikes terror in some of the “older” European states.As it happened for the accession of the new states in 2004, they are worried the “new ones” might steal their jobs, or that illegal immigration may increase. Actually, the experience of Great Britain, where Eastern European labourers had been welcome since 2004, shows that the population is more and more sceptical when they hear about “immigration”. Compared to the other European citizens, it is mostly the British who see immigration as a threat. Lately, Italy too had to realise that opening their borders caused quite a few problems.The citizens’ concerns are understandable. On the other hand, the EU is trying to find a solution to fight illegal immigration. Over the last few years, Italy and other Mediterranean countries have seen many refugees arrive in summer and die in the hundreds in their marine tragedies. The EU is trying to strengthen patrols in the Mediterranean. They are investing a lot in money and staff. The organisations for the defence of human rights and refugees, as well as the ecclesiastic authorities, already speak of “Europe as a fortress”. Refugees also come illegally from south-eastern and eastern Europe, bound for Germany, Scandinavia or Great Britain. Within a few years, a EU order police might even be set up to better protect the EU’s outer borders even in the eastern areas.However it involves two problems. Firstly, unlike what has been promised, little is being done to solve the problems that are behind immigration. Agreements are signed with the neighbouring eastern and southern European countries to make these countries take back their own refugees when the latter are expelled from Europe, but real aids that may enable these people to live in their native countries are scarce. They have been talked about for years, but little has actually been done. The European Union must do much more to become more credible in the sphere of economic policies, development, agriculture and fishing as well.In addition, one should wonder what is going to happen to the real refugees, who seek asylum in Europe. They will hardly have any chance of setting foot on our continent any more. This is something else Europe cannot be proud of.Removing checkpoints from the internal borders must not mean that the borders should become totally impenetrable from outside.