EUOBSERVER - EU leaders on 24 June agreed to establish a "safeguard mechanism" allowing the re-introduction of internal borders in exceptional circumstances, potentially curbing one of the most integrative aspects of EU membership.

"Without undermining this basic principle of free movement of persons, we felt the need to improve the Schengen rules," said European Council President Herman Van Rompuy.

The mechanism would allow "as a very last resort, (...) the exceptional reintroduction of internal border controls in a truly critical situation where a member state is no longer able to comply with its obligations under the Schengen rules as concerns the prevention of illegal immigration of third country nationals, with negative effects on other member states," the final statement said.

The commission is supposed to work out the details of the arrangement by autumn.

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Author: Valentina Pop (EUobserver)