A “New Normal” for the Schengen Area. When, Where and Why Member States Reintroduce Temporary Border Controls?

This article investigates the reintroduction of temporary border controls in the Schengen Area. The Schengen Borders Code (SBC, Article 25 et seq.) allows signatory states to reinstate temporary border controls in specific circumstances that constitute a serious threat to public policy or internal security either due to foreseeable events (Art. 27), situations that require immediate action (Art. 28) or exceptional circumstances caused by deficiencies at the external border (Art. 29). In response to successive “polycrises”, signatory states have made ample use of this previously rarely-used policy instrument. This article explores the reasons for temporary border controls, their extent and duration, in order to address when, where and why member states reintroduce them. The novel data is based on notifications that Schengen members use to inform the EU Commission about their intent to reintroduce temporary controls at their land borders (1999–2020). The analysis finds that member states expanded the use of temporary border controls in terms of number and duration, as the intended purpose of temporary border controls shifted from the protection of specific events to immigration control.