The Italian government has announced that it will bring Austria before the European Court of Justice (ECJ) due to Tyrolean anti-transit measures. Lega chief Matteo Salvini, who serves as deputy prime minister and minister of infrastructure and transport, characterized border controls as an “act of violence and political arrogance.”
Salvini’s statements come after Chancellor Karl Nehamer (ÖVP), days ago during an interview with Kronen-Zeitung, confirmed that Austria would introduce border checks with Italy—a fellow member of the EU’s free-movement Schengen Area—in light of the massive number of illegal migrants who’ve arrived to Lampedusa in recent weeks.
“The Minister of the Interior has already made appropriate arrangements for dragnet controls at the Austrian-Italian border,” said Nehammer, adding that he had informed his Italian counterpart about the move.” We are monitoring this. It’s about the fight against smuggling routes,” he added.
Salvini called the move “an act of violence and political and institutional arrogance by a member country of the European Union which we must put an end to.” He also argued the border checks threaten Italians’ economic competitiveness, the Milan-based daily Il Giornale reported.
Salvini announced on September 21st,
After four years of inaction on the part of the European Commission, we have decided to formally activate the procedure provided for in Article 259 of the TFEU, which gives a member state the right to bring an action before the European Court of Justice against a member state for violating Euro-Union law.
One cannot pontificate at Italy’s expense, seeking welcome and integration in Lampedusa while armoring the Brenner border. This government will put an end to this shame.
At the same time, the Italian former interior leveled sharp criticism at EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (CDU) since she has not yet initiated EU infringement proceedings against Austria.
Austrian Transport Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) responded to Salvini’s announcement, saying: “He obviously doesn’t care about the situation of the people in the entire Tyrol region.” “As long as his freight lobby makes a profit,” she added.
For Italy, Austria’s border checks along the Brenner Pass are a violation of the EU’s Schengen agreement and agreements that regulate the unrestricted flow of goods and people among the European Union member states. Despite the Schengen rules, however, border controls are quite common throughout the ‘free movement zone.’ Aside from Austria, France, Germany, Norway, and Sweden all conduct inter-Schengen border checks.
EU rules allow the temporary reintroduction of border controls “in the event of a serious threat to public policy or internal security.” While the border restrictions are meant to be temporary, member states, if they wish to, can renew the measures every six months.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, while speaking at the UN General Assembly yesterday, cautioned Europe against treating Italy like a “refugee camp” following France’s deployment of soldiers, helicopters, and drones to secure its border with Italy in response to the influx of illegal migrants.
