France extends stricter border controls
'Persistent terror threat' cited as reason for six-month extension of tighter security at borders of Schengen-area neighbours
France will continue to exercise tighter border controls with its Schengen neighbours until April 30, 2018.
The checks, which were due to end on October 31, have been extended from November 1 for a further six months. They were introduced following the terror attacks in Paris in November 2015, in which 130 people were killed.
The European Commission confirmed on Thursday that it had received notice from France of its intention to maintain higher security levels along its borders with other members of the visa-freen Schengen zone. It also said it had received similar notifications from Germany and Denmark.
France cited the 'persistent' terror threat as its reason for maintaining high security levels. Since the beginning of 2017, 22 terror attacks have been planned on French territory, Le Figaro reports. Of those, five have been carried out; a further five have failed, and 12 were prevented by security forces.
It said that the main threat to security comes from terrorists' ability to cross borders in the Schengen zone, pointing out that attackers who killer 16 and injured 120 in Barcelona and Cambrils in August had travelled to Spain from France.
Meanwhile, the November 2015 attacks in Paris were planned in Brussels.
