Sweden Introduces Temporary Border Controls

The European Union has given permission to Sweden, which is part of both the EU and the Schengen Area, to reinstate border controls as of Nov. 12. The controls, which will mainly consist of ID checks, are supposed to be temporary. However, these measures highlight just how dire the refugee situation in Sweden is becoming. Sweden has generally been recognized as one of the European countries most welcoming to refugees. Sweden may have passed its physical capacity to continue welcoming refugees, however, with hundreds of displaced persons having to sleep outside or in tents due to inadequate shelter. Swedish Interior Minister Anders Ygeman stated that the purpose of these temporary controls is to bring order to the asylum process, which will hopefully mitigate the problem of inadequate resources that Sweden is currently facing.

The most affected means of transportation will be the Øresund Bridge, which connects the Swedish city of Malmö to Danish capital Copenhagen, as well as ferries between Sweden and Germany. Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven defended the controversial decision, saying that the police were no longer able to guarantee border security. It is unknown whether Sweden will petition to maintain the controls when the initial period expires on Nov. 22.