With 41 votes in favour, 17 against, and 7 abstentions, MEPs backed a new regulation on screening at EU borders and on access to information on criminal convictions of non-EU nationals. The new screening rules will apply to persons not fulfilling the entry conditions of an EU member state, entering the EU irregularly or disembarking following a search and rescue operation, or having applied for international protection at a border crossing point.

The screening procedure should not take more than five days, but could be extended to 10 during crises. It should include identification, fingerprinting, security checks, and preliminary health and vulnerability assessment, and will conclude with a debriefing from. Authorities would then be able to choose the appropriate procedure for international protection or return.

The border procedures

With 38 votes in favour, 21 against, and 6 abstentions, MEPs updated their negotiating mandate regarding border asylum procedures.

The proposal…