Germany has said the passport-free Schengen zone is in danger, after Denmark and Sweden imposed new controls at their borders to stem the migrant influx.
Sweden began checking documents of travellers from Denmark on Monday, for the first time in half a century. It caused delays of up to 50 minutes for trains and buses crossing the Oresund Bridge, which links the two nations. Private vehicles were exempt from the checks. Denmark's prime minister said Sweden's move gave his country no option but to impose its own controls at the border with Germany. He appealed to the European Union to take collective action to curb the tide of migrants.
"I think it's pretty obvious that we are in a situation. If the European Union can't protect the external borders, you will see more and more countries which will be forced into introducing temporary internal border control. This is something we need to take very seriously, because it will have a negative impact on prosperity," Danish PM Lars Leokke Rasmussen said.
