Italy, Germany Oppose Austrian Border Controls Austria Proposes New Controls at Brenner Pass Crossing to Italy By Liam Moloney and Giada Zampano

Posted By on May 6th, 2016

http://www.wsj.com/articles/italy-germany-oppose-austrian-border-controls-1462465086

ROME—Italy and Germany expressed their opposition to border-control measures within the European Union on Thursday, saying such restrictions may lead to the loss of the free movement that has helped turn the 28-country bloc into a success.

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel at a joint press conference in Rome criticized an Austrian plan to construct a 250-meter (820-foot) long checkpoint at the Brenner Pass, which connects Italy and Austria.

Border-control measures could contravene the Schengen accord, which governs passport-free travel between member states.

“I am strongly against any closure” of the Brenner Pass, said Mrs. Merkel at the joint news conference, stressing that Europe needs to find common responses to migration issues. “We can’t abandon whoever defends our borders. We need to remain loyal to each other,” she added.

Thousands of migrants that have reached Italy use the Brenner Pass to head to countries such as Germany and Sweden, where welfare benefits are more generous. Some migrants also aim to settle in Austria and this has alarmed Vienna.

Free movement of people and goods could be put at stake as the EU faces its biggest migration challenge since the end of World War II, the German chancellor warned.

“We either defend our [EU] external borders or we will return to nationalism and lose our freedom of movement of businesses and people,” Mrs. Merkel said.

On Thursday, Mr. Renzi said that about 26,000 migrants had reached Italy via sea so far this year, about 1,000 more than in the same period in 2015.

The Italian premier reiterated Rome’s strong opposition to the Austrian border-control plans.

“We have expressed our clear disagreement with the Austrian positions on the Brenner Pass. They are wrong and anachronistic,” Mr. Renzi said. CONTINUE AT SITE

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