Sweden extends border controls for six months

The Swedish government has announced it will extend the country's temporary external border controls until November 11.

The border controls were introduced in November 2015 as Sweden experienced an unprecedented inflow of asylum seekers. Sweden's center-left government then said the controls would be assessed on a monthly basis.

However, on Wednesday Sweden's minister for home affairs, Anders Ygeman, told Swedish Television that the European Union has acknowledged the necessity of Sweden's border controls and that is why it can be extended for another six months.

The Swedish government will report to the European Commission every other month with updates on how the border controls are working.

The controls means anyone crossing the border into Sweden can be asked to show a valid ID and can be denied entry if they do not hold a valid visa or permit to enter the country.

The border controls will remain in the same locations in southern and western Sweden as well as at the Oresund bridge that connects Sweden and Denmark, which has also extended its ID controls along the German border until November 12.

Previously, Swedish police have complained over a lack of resources to handle the inflow of asylum seekers and Ygeman said the government will make a decision in the fall regarding potentially injecting more funds into the police force. Endit