Schengen Archives - Page 2 of 2

The Lille Loophole – stop London checks on all except 3 trains

What is the Lille Loophole? It is a means by which people without the correct identification papers necessary to enter the UK can do so thanks to a loophole in the Schengen rules, as applied at Gare du Midi in Brussels, and to the Eurostar rail service. News about the[Read More…]

23.04.2013 33 comments

A little Brussels-London security paranoia case study – this coming Friday

I have not taken Eurostar recently, but judging by comments posted on my previous blog posts about the service, it seems that the security paranoia that afflicts the route has not diminished. Anyway, for the first time in months, I am going to be on Eurostar on Friday this week,[Read More…]

16.04.2013 0 comments

Analysis

Non-Schengen compliant border control at Puttgarden, 21st January 2013, 1244

Today I’m at least as angry at myself as a blogger (who was not adequately prepared) as I am about yet another breach of EU law and Schengen. My ICE train had just left the ferry, heading into Germany at Puttgarden at 1244, and was stationary at the station when[Read More…]

21.01.2013 4 comments

Analysis

Non-Schengen (or non-Danish law?) compliant border control at Padborg, 16th January 2013, 0651

Back in spring 2011, when Denmark still had a centre right government supported in parliament by the populist Dansk Folkeparti, the country drew sharp criticism from the European Commission with a plan to reintroduce border controls. The centre right lost the election later in 2011, and the borders plan did not[Read More…]

16.01.2013 14 comments

Analysis

OK, so Schengen is a myth. Systematic checks on the train leaving France are OK according to the Commission.

Back on 9th October I documented a non-Schengen compliant border control that took place on a train between St Jean de Maurienne and Modane – see the full details here. I put all that information into a full and official complaint to the European Commission, and today (about 2 weeks[Read More…]

21.11.2012 5 comments

Analysis

Non-Schengen compliant border control between St Jean de Maurienne and Modane, 9th October 2012, 1240

Four French police boarded the front carriage of the 0749 Paris Gare de Lyon – Milano Garibaldi TGV at St Jean de Maurienne on 9th October. The train was running with a delay of around 55 minutes, hence departing from St Jean at around 1230. At 1240 the four police[Read More…]

09.10.2012 14 comments

Analysis

Schengen: what can they ask, and what am I obliged to tell?

Bleary eyed and grumpy last week due to a delayed night train, I was nevertheless rather surprised when a Danish policeman demanded to see my passport abord the night train to København H at Padborg (border station from Germany). When I asked him why and how he was demanding this[Read More…]

11.09.2012 12 comments

Analysis

Driving more nails into the Schengen coffin

It’s not France and Italy this time, but Denmark, driving more nails into the coffin of Schengen, Europe’s border free system, at least in spirit. Danish Finance Minister Claus Hjort Frederiksen, as reported by BBC, said: We have reached agreement on reintroducing customs inspections at Denmark’s borders as soon as[Read More…]

11.05.2011 2 comments