GENEVA, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- Swiss Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga said Friday she supports EU calls to extend temporary border controls due to terrorism concerns.
Sommaruga spoke shortly before an EU interior ministers' meeting in Luxembourg on Friday, Swiss news agency ATS reported.
She said as countries such as France and Germany would retain border checks which past an initial deadline of November 2017, it was necessary to agree on common regulations "to which everyone must adhere."
The concerns have increased since the large number of refugees arriving in Europe in mid and late 2015, prompting some EU countries to introduce border controls.
Although Switzerland is not a member of the EU, it is a signatory to the EU's Schengen treaty which allows for the free circulation of people between countries that are signatories.
The Swiss minister acknowledged open borders and the free circulation of people throughout the EU's Schengen area are important benefits.
She said, however, "We have a situation that has changed over the past few years, and it is therefore important that everyone plays by the same rules."
While Switzerland is a member of the Schengen Area, the Swiss situation is different from that of EU members because it is not part of the EU customs union. She noted Switzerland could legally invoke border controls based on "suspicion."
"But, of course, in Switzerland, we are continually analyzing whether other measures are necessary and meaningful," she said.
