EU ministers are set to hold talks in Luxembourg on Thursday and Friday. Interior minister Léon Gloden told international media that the Schengen Agreement must be respected in full force once more:
"There are no more fixed border checks on the German-Luxembourgish border. Feedback is positive. However, the Schengen Agreement must absolutely play a role once more. Schengen must be alive. For this reason, we welcome the EU Commission's opinion, which confirmed there was no proof that the checks were proportional, and therefore supporting the Luxembourg government's argument."
He added it was regrettable that the Commission had not provided a date for the definitive end of the German border controls.
Another topic preoccupying EU ministers this week is the asylum and immigration package. This concerns so-called "return hubs" for refugees who have not been accorded leave to remain, but cannot be sent back to their home countries. Luxembourg supports this in principle, although with some nuance:
"The asylum seekers who fulfil the requirements are welcome and will receive help to integrate. The others must go home. That's why we support the idea of the return hubs, but oppose sending women or families there."
Gloden and his colleagues are due to discuss a temporary extension of the special protection status for Ukrainians. For Luxembourg, it is important to find a common position here.
