The EU parliament's civil liberties committee has almost unanimously approved a plan to begin systematically checking all EU citizens entering or leaving the union.The step was approved by 48 votes to six with no abstentions at a meeting of the committee on Tuesday.Under the plan, all EU citizens, as well as family members with third country nationalities, will be checked against EU-wide and national internal security databases, or those listing lost or stolen travel documents.MEP Monica Macovei, a member of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group, said: "The right to life is the most basic of human rights. The recent terrorist attacks bitterly demonstrate the current threat to Europe's internal security and proves that changes are needed. It is also worth giving up some of our comforts and time, even if this means longer queues at the borders, in order to save lives."There are plans to modify the strategy if it causes too much travel disruption, reports The Parliament Magazine.Committee members amended the Commission proposal to enable member states to run "targeted" checks, as an exception, in the event of lengthy delays and provided that security is not at risk.The checks will be made against various databases, including Interpol's stolen and lost travel documents database (SLTD) and the Schengen information system.MEPs will now start negotiations with Council very soon to try to reach a first reading agreement.
MEPs approve systematic checks on all entering or leaving EU
