A quiet European dispute is emerging between Germany and Spain over Spain\u2019s plan to regularize the status of hundreds of thousands of migrants. This step has led German authorities to tighten inspection procedures on travelers arriving from Spain in recent weeks. <\/p>\n\n
According to security reports, German police have begun carrying out close monitoring of flights coming from Spanish cities<\/a>, in an effort to limit the entry of irregular migrants<\/a> who may be taking advantage of freedom of movement within the Schengen<\/a> Area. <\/p>\n\n A former official who regularly travels between Madrid<\/a> and Germany<\/a> stated that he has recently noticed a clear increase in inspection measures on flights arriving from Madrid and Barcelona<\/a>, coinciding with the Spanish government\u2019s announcement of its intention to regularize the status of around half a million migrants.<\/p>\n\n Security sources also report that these measures are driven by growing concerns among some Northern European countries over the possibility of Spain being used as a transit point to other European Union countries, especially following the announcement of the collective regularization<\/a> program. <\/p>\n\n These measures coincide with the recent implementation of the external border monitoring system known as the Entry\/Exit System (EES), which has recently come into effect at European airports. The system aims to record travelers\u2019 data and monitor their movements within European Union countries. <\/p>\n\n Security sources indicate that the implementation of this system is being used by some countries as a justification to tighten control over travelers, especially amid expectations of an increase in the number of people who may benefit from Spain\u2019s new regularization plan. <\/p>\n\n Concerns are not limited to Germany alone, as other Northern European countries, such as Austria<\/a>, have also expressed worry about the potential impact of Spain\u2019s planned mass regularization. <\/p>\n\n These countries believe that any sudden increase in the number of migrants could place additional pressure on police forces and border authorities, particularly at major airports such as Madrid and Barcelona, which already experience heavy travel traffic. <\/p>\n\n Reports indicate that some migrants from Latin America and Africa enter Europe through Spain using tourist visas or via the Canary Islands, before their status later becomes irregular within Spain or other European countries. <\/p>\n\nTightened inspections on flights arriving from Spain<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n
A new European system strengthens border control<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n
Northern Europe\u2019s concerns over the regularization plan<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n
Entry routes exploited by migration networks<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n