Coalition of the Unwilling: Merkel’s Plan B Could Mean End of Schengen

European leaders are meeting behind closed doors to tighten the continent’s external borders and stem the flow of refugees from areas of conflict in the Middle East. Spiegel Online reports that German Chancellor Angela Merkel seeks to finalize a deal that includes Turkey: “Essentially, it calls for Europe to provide billions in aid to Turkey in exchange for Ankara doing all it can to prevent Syrian refugees from traveling onward to Europe. Once those conditions have been fulfilled, however, the plan calls for the EU to accept a contingent of Syrian refugees, the size of which would likely be several hundred thousand.” So far, Eastern Europe rejects the proposals. Far-right parties that oppose immigration are gaining traction throughout the continent. Another proposal, described as a last resort, is reducing the area for free travel across borders known as the Schengen zone – excluding states like Greece that struggle to control borders and those that prohibit refugees. Travel bottlenecks would hurt tourism and business, and analysts suggest that refugees will try longer routes to evade border checks. – YaleGlobal