Sweden to impose temporary border controls for 6 months due to internal security threat

In the written statement made by the Swedish government, it was stated that internal border controls will be implemented between 12 November 2026 and 11 May 2027, and that the decision was taken due to serious threats to public order and internal security.

In the statement, it was stated that the security risks that emerged after Russia's attacks against Ukraine, hybrid threats and the mobility of "enemy" elements operating in the Schengen area were the main factors in the implementation of temporary border controls, and it was stated that the details regarding the implementation of the controls would be determined by the police.

In the statement, it was reminded that other Schengen area countries such as France, Germany, Norway and Denmark also decided to implement temporary border control.

Temporary border controls in Schengen

In the Schengen area, which is the visa-free travel area of the European Union (EU), the basic principle is to remove controls at internal borders, but member states can impose temporary border controls in cases of serious threat to public order or internal security.

These controls, which should be used as a last resort, must be limited in time, necessary and proportionate.

The EU Commission monitors the compliance of member states' temporary border controls with EU law. If the Commission detects a violation of the rules, it can initiate a violation process against the relevant country, and if the violation is not remedied, it can refer the issue to the EU Court of Justice. The commission's assessment does not automatically end the controls.

In June, the Commission published opinions on the 9 Schengen countries that have been implementing internal border control for a long time, evaluating the necessity and proportionality of the measures.