The criticism from Brussels comes as Austrian officials announced they would begin construction on a permanent border control zone in the Brenner Pass — the area along Austria's border with Italy.
"If these plans should materialize then we will have to look at them very seriously. The Brenner pass is essential for freedom of movement within the European Union," European Commission (EC) spokeswoman Natasha Bertaud said.
"The Commission is very concerned," she added, noting that EU Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos would discuss the construction work with Austrian Interior Minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner.
"The re-introduction of border controls at internal Schengen borders has to be exceptional and proportionate," Bertaud said.
"The Commission will assess any measures that are taken by the Austrian government from the perspective of the necessity and the proportionality of the measures."
Vienna Ruffling EU Feathers
Austria's strong stance towards its internal borders and the migration crisis has ruffled feathers in Brussels and across the EU, with critics accusing Vienna of violating the EU's Schengen agreement.
Fortress Europe is neither desirable nor feasible. As long as people have reasons to flee they will continue to do so. #EPlenary
— DimitrisAvramopoulos (@Avramopoulos) April 13, 2016
Austria has defended its actions however, saying that it is being forced to patrol its borders given the EU's inability to stem the flow of refugees and migrants coming into the bloc, amid concerns over large numbers of unregistered and unidentified people traveling through EU member states.
Austria has every right to protect their border. Open borders are for EU citizens & those legally entering. https://t.co/FIxivFHkvx
— Jåk (@JakBerLon) 13 April 2016
Following the closure of the Balkan migrant route, many are worried a fresh migration path may open up with refugees and migrants traveling across the Mediterranean to Italy from North Africa, and then continuing northward into Austria and Germany.
#Padua #tent #fences #barbed to close #Austria trade embassy not #borders of #Eu #FreeBrenneroPass #RefugeesWelcome pic.twitter.com/nAtEcI5tDG
— globalproject.info (@global_project) 13 April 2016
These concerns were backed up by Italian Interior Ministry figures, which revealed that in the first three months of 2016, more than 16,000 people were rescued in calls of distress in the Mediterranean Sea between Libya and Sicily, 6,000 more than during the same period of time last year.
However, Italian officials have move to allay fears of another migrant route opening up, with the country's Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni and Interior Minister Angelino Alfano releasing a joint statement saying Austria's actions "did not appear to be based on the facts," and that Mikl-Leitner had "presented no data showing an alleged increase in the migrant flow from Italy".
Stronger & Smarter Borders | proposal to establish an Entry-Exit System: https://t.co/YEOJNfMvWf #SmartBorders pic.twitter.com/I9TZeyHV42
— European Commission (@EU_Commission) 6 April 2016
While acknowledging there had been an increase in people coming to Italy, Bertaud said the EC didn't think this would result in a long-term trend.
"For the time being there is indeed no evidence that flows of irregular migrants are shifting from Greece to Italy, although we have seen an increase in the numbers of people arriving to Italy."
