As desperate refugees and economic migrants seek any entry point into Europe, the majority of people at least four western European nations would like to end the free movement of people across borders.
The Schengen Agreement lets people travel without passports in 26 European countries.
The UK is not part of Schengen, but nevertheless 63% of Brits would like border checks in Europe reinstated, according to a new poll conducted in a number of European nations.
Attitudes in France have hardened, resulting in 67% wanting border controls. Thousands of migrants have been getting into France from Italy.
Surprisingly for a country which has rescued so many people, only 56% of Italians wanted borders to be controlled, although this is the majority.
Germans, too, wished for tighter controls with 53% saying they would like to see an end to the Schengen Agreement.
“Schengen must be suspended immediately and replaced by a Schengen II which member-countries could only join if they first agree to the same immigration policy,” centre-Right former President Sarkozy said recently. “Europe is not meant to organise social and migratory dumping.”
While the French were initially little concerned, believing most refugees were aiming for the UK or Germany, the sight of make-shift camps in Paris and Calais has changed opinion.
Some 4,000 migrants are thought to be sleeping rough in Calais. Their efforts to illegally board lorries, trains and ferries have led to havoc and death. Some of those who give up head for Paris instead.
France is now pushing migrants back into Italy, saying such action is within the Agreement as the country may expel illegal migrants from outside the EU. This, however, is a similar policy to Britain’s of which the French have been critical.
In short, no country seems to be coping very well and the crisis continues to mount.
