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“Impossible to say” when border controls between Denmark and Sweden will become easier to navigate
Ray W
July 4th, 2016
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This article is more than 7 years old.
Swedish foreign minister says negotiations continue on where the checks should occur
One border check to unite them all? (photo: Håkan Dahlström)
Travellers heading from Denmark to Sweden via train from Copenhagen Airport are currently required to get off their train, walk through the arrival hall to another platform, show a valid ID and then jump aboard another train to Sweden. Once that train arrives at Hyllie, the first station in Sweden, they have to be checked again by Swedish police.
The Danish check is the responsibility of the carrier, and the Swedish check is a police border control exercise – and both leave travellers sandwiched in the middle.
A legal question
Swedish foreign minister Anders Ygeman said that the entire process could be streamlined if Danish authorities would allow Swedish police to carry out their checks at the same time as the first check at the airport. However, that would require Danes allowing Swedish cops to operate on Danish soil, which would require changes to Danish law.
“The Swedish government is talking with Danish representatives regarding a solution,” Ygeman told News Oresund.
“It is a complicated and lengthy process for Denmark to allow Swedish officials to act on Danish soil.”
The EU has to step up
The Danish justice ministry said that the conversation is ongoing, but the process raises constitutional questions in Denmark.
“Border checks and identity checks are still necessary in the interest of public order and internal security in Sweden,” said Ygeman.
“Sweden belongs to Schengen, and Schengen’s main point is freedom of movement. Once the EU has secured its external borders and a functioning redistribution plan is in place, we can then normalise the situation, step by step.”
READ MORE: Swedish border control costing Øresund region big time
Ygeman said that the Swedish government is aware of the difficulties that have arisen since the controls were put in place.
“We are not blind to the fact that the controls have been a challenge,” he said.
“Our ambition is that the checks cause as little trouble as possible for travellers.”
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