Following last week's decision by EU home affairs ministers to change the legal basis and exclude Parliament from decisions related to the management of the EU's border-free Schengen area, GUE/NGL MEP Cornelia Ernst told the Danish presidency

that what it was doing was "anti-democratic, despicable and undermines the Community method".

"Open borders in the EU is a very meaningful symbol, the very symbol of European union throughout the world," she said.

"Council is being anti-democratic by downgrading the European Parliament in its renationalisation of Schengen. We are

entitled to co-decision. Do you wish to revert to the 1900s?," she asked.

"With this decision you are making Europe look ridiculous to the world and with this populous move you will strengthen the

forces of nationalism," she warned.

MEP Ernst concluded by inviting the Council to withdraw its decision and "revert to Europeanism".

GUE/NGL Press Contacts:

Gay Kavanagh +32 473 84 23 20

gabrielle.kavanagh@europarl.europa.eu 

David Lundy +32 485 50 58 12

david.lundy@europarl.europa.eu

European United Left / Nordic Green Left

European Parliamentary Group

www.guengl.eu