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Schengen ain't what it used to be

savageevan.com

21–30 of 69 posts

Re: Schengen ain't what it used to be

#21
post #2

Passengers going through without document checks is a minor element of Schengen. The heavy hitter are the trucks passing borders much faster and with no admin expenses - saves EU countries many billions of EUR annually.

> Passengers going through without document checks is a minor element of Schengen

In a pure economic efficiency sense you might very well be right. But the "illusion" that borders without border control used to give shouldn't be completely disregarded either. Pre 2015 (and Corona) when you could just roam around without ever showing ID just felt very different. It didn't feel like I was moving between distinct and sovereign countries, but more like moving between states in the U.S: "Oh now we crossed in to Texas cowboy noises".

Especially if you live in a border region (e.g Malmö-Copenhagen) and commute across the border, you really feel the difference and might even consider stop doing that because of hassle and increases in travel time.

During corona the closed Finish/Swedish border in Happaranda/Torneå just felt surreal, most warlike experience I've ever had. These cities are essentially one, and all of a sudden families, friends, businesses and their employees were split with fences and armed people stopping them.

Re: Schengen ain't what it used to be

#22

Well yes internal borders work fine when external borders are taken seriously, not when countries are pretty much forced to accept anyone thanks to human trafficking orgs and lax regulation imagined for war times not for "my country sucks" type of problem. > And yet: countries like Denmark are safer and more prosperous than ever before. Maybe ask the Swedes about how things are going there (apart from internet hyperb…

>not with the farce that exists today where "asylum" is used is a get-out-of-jail free card The problem with the current asylum system is basically anyone can come in and say: "look, Russia, US, UK, France and coalition blew up my middle eastern country, so now countries like Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Austria who had nothing to do with it, need to give me asylum to me and my whole family, simple" which makes the s…

> Asylum today is basically: "look, Russia, US, UK, France and coalition blew up my middle eastern country, so now countries like Denmark

No-no-no, Denmark took an active part in Iraq invasion and was also invaded Libya. Refugee crisis isn’t just about Syria.

Re: Schengen ain't what it used to be

#23

Anecdotal, but: this is probably more of a Denmark thing and not a Schengen thing. I recently crossed French, Dutch, German, and Polish borders on 4 separate trips and had no checks.

I recently crossed a few borders too, and did not show a passport at any time. When I flew out of Germany the police did not even ask for a boarding pass despite me flying with a checked-in pistol (which is why the police got involved at all: the agent said their instructions is to call the police so they can look at it before the baggage is sent on its way). On arrival to Sweden, the "goods to declare" lane was empty and there was a little sign with a phone number and a message amounting to "call the customs people if you have something to declare".

Re: Schengen ain't what it used to be

#24
post #15

Well yes internal borders work fine when external borders are taken seriously, not when countries are pretty much forced to accept anyone thanks to human trafficking orgs and lax regulation imagined for war times not for "my country sucks" type of problem. > And yet: countries like Denmark are safer and more prosperous than ever before. Maybe ask the Swedes about how things are going there (apart from internet hyperb…

There are very serious checks, what are you talking about?

At least in the South of EU there are places with zero checks in place. I mean there are organizations operating in the Mediterranean whose whole purpose is to offer transport for people outside the EU without any checks required.

Honestly there isn't anything serious about such lack of checks. I'd say maybe US or Australia or such have serious checks in place -- EU is nowhere even close.

Re: Schengen ain't what it used to be

#25
Border controls don't bother me much if they're just a quick check. Countries need to verify that who is coming in is who they say they are. My problem with Schengen Zone is that you can only spend 3 months there and have to leave. There was a time you could go to Europe and spend an entire year traveling country to country, now it's only a 3 months.

Re: Schengen ain't what it used to be

#26

Well yes internal borders work fine when external borders are taken seriously, not when countries are pretty much forced to accept anyone thanks to human trafficking orgs and lax regulation imagined for war times not for "my country sucks" type of problem. > And yet: countries like Denmark are safer and more prosperous than ever before. Maybe ask the Swedes about how things are going there (apart from internet hyperb…

The Asylum system can be improved(its no way fair that some countries have to cater more asylum seekers than others). Sadly there are no legal ways to get the asylum Status, only the way that you have to cross the border without visum and to declare that you need asylum.

Re: Schengen ain't what it used to be

#27
post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>not with the farce that exists today where "asylum" is used is a get-out-of-jail free card The problem with the current asylum system is basically anyone can come in and say: "look, Russia, US, UK, France and coalition blew up my middle eastern country, so now countries like Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Austria who had nothing to do with it, need to give me asylum to me and my whole family, simple" which makes the s…

> Asylum today is basically: "look, Russia, US, UK, France and coalition blew up my middle eastern country, so now countries like Denmark No-no-no, Denmark took an active part in Iraq invasion and was also invaded Libya. Refugee crisis isn’t just about Syria.

Which middle eastern conflict did Austria take part in?
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