ALDE made it clear during today's debate on the impact on Schengen of migration flows that it will fight tooth and nail to prevent any attempt to weaken it or introduce new provisions allowing the reintroduction of border controls.

"Re-introducing internal border checks contradicts the whole essence of the Union, the basic principle of the treaties." exclaimed ALDE President Guy Verhofstadt regretting that "the Commission has not given us the assurances that it does not intend to create an additional mechanism."

"What we have seen the last few weeks shameful: whilst Italy issued temporary residence permits to the Tunisian refugees, France reacted by reintroducing internal border checks; as if Europe suddenly did not exist anymore. It was a ping-pong game on the back of refugees. A game that has been disastrous for Schengen and disastrous for the image of the EU." he concluded

"Only a community approach should drive any improvement of the current Schengen system. The evaluation of the "threat to public order" or "threat to national security" must be done at EU level exclusively, taking into account the security of the whole Schengen area, and by all means we are against additional possibilities or making it easier for Member States to re-introduce border checks. " said Renate Weber (PNL, Romania) ALDE coordinator in the Civil liberties Committee

"We are deeply disappointed by the Council, who never miss an opportunity to isolate the European Parliament, by undermining the great achievement of its co-decision role that gives voice to European citizens." concluded Weber.

"The EU's migration and asylum pressures ought to be capable of effective management by competent governments. Unfortunately we have too many governments which are playing to the extremist right-wing gallery." said ALDE MEP Sarah Ludford (Liberal Democrat, UK). “The European Commission should defend EU internal free movement, not throw gestures to Sarkozy and Berlusconi for electioneering.”

"The Commission would better use its time investigating allegations about 61 migrants being left to die despite making contact with Italian coastguards, a NATO warship and a military helicopter and punishing any authorities which breached international maritime and humanitarian law.” concluded Ludford