Towards a common European border security policy

Abstract

The internal abolition of borders in the European Union (EU) has created a security deficit that is supposed to be compensated by inventing a new border – the ‘external frontier’ – which is to protect the combined territory of the Member States. This article argues that the security deficit has not been fully compensated for due to uneven policy implementation. The overview of impending threats to the EU border security system stemming from climate change impacts and demographic pressures shows that the future holds even greater challenges to the implementation of the Schengen acquis. A new approach to border security is urgently needed. The introduction of a common European border security policy can become an adequate response to many of the otherwise imminent threats.