Jean-Claude Juncker: add Irish Republic to the Schengen Area The European Commission president has suggested the Irish Republic could join the EU’s passport-free zone – a move that would […]

The European Commission president has suggested the Irish Republic could join the EU’s passport-free zone – a move that would threaten the United Kingdom’s hopes of maintaining an open border with Northern Ireland.

Jean-Claude Juncker called for the so-called Schengen Area to be extended to include every EU member state after Brexit takes place in 2019.

Like the UK, the Republic has an opt-out from the arrangement which allows EU nationals to travel freely across 26 states, including four outside the bloc.

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Dublin has said it intends to remain outside the zone after Brexit.

If it was to change its mind, that would raise questions over the practicality of the UK government’s determination to keep the open border on the island from 2019.

A source in the Democratic Unionist Party denounced Mr Juncker for “a ludicrous suggestion – unless they are planning to shut the Irish out”.

The Eurosceptic Tory John Redwood said: “While he is making general statements of principle, they would have to treat Ireland as a special case.”

Downing Street took a relaxed view of the intervention, pointing to a recent statement from Dublin that it intended to stay outside Schengen.

In a speech to MEPs in Strasbourg, Mr Juncker called for a drive towards deeper integration of the EU’s 27 remaining states.

He said he wanted all member states to move towards using the euro and belonging to the banking union which was set up after the eurozone crisis.

Mr Juncker floated the idea of a new elected President of Europe, combining his role with the post of Council President, which is currently held by Donald Tusk.

He said: ”My hope is that on 30 March 2019, Europeans will wake up in a union where they know that we are defending their values, where all member states vigorously respect the rule of law, where being a full member of the eurozone, banking union and the Schengen area have become a standard for every member state of the European Union.”

He took a swipe at Britain, saying it would “soon regret” Brexit, saying its departure was “not the be all and end all” for the remaining 27 states.

The Commission president said it would respect the will of the British people” but claimed that the “wind is back in Europe’s sails”.

He devoted only a few minutes of his hour-long address to Brexit, saying: “This will be a very sad and tragic moment in our history. We will always regret this, and I think that you will regret it as well, soon.”