GETTY•WIKIPEDIA Member states could re-introduce border controls under the proposal

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In a bid to minimise the effects of the migration crisis on Europe MEPs agreed to replace the union’s border agency, Frontex, with a new European Border and Coast Guard Agency (EBCG), which will be granted more powers. The passport-free Schengen area - which the UK is not part of - has been blamed on allowing terrorists, people traffickers and economic migrants to travel freely across the continent. 483 MEPs voted to bring in the new plans this autumn, while 181 voted against and 48 abstained.

The re-introduction of border controls is bizarrely being trumpeted as a victory for the EU, despite the Schengen agreement being seen as one of the bloc’s success stories. EU rapporteur, Artis Pabrics, said: "The European Border and Coast Guard Regulation will ensure that the EU external borders are safer and better managed. “This is not a silver bullet that can solve the migration crisis that the EU is facing today or fully restore trust in the Schengen area, but it is very much needed first step.”

GETTY Politicians will vote on the plan at the European Parliament today

This is a moment to turn this success story into reality Dimitris Avramopoulos

Under the plans national authorities will still manage their borders on a day-to-day basis but if their external borders are under pressure they will be able to urgently call in the EBCG. The new rules will apply to all 22 Schengen area countries, as well as four who wish to be in the area - Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania - and the four European Free Trade Association (EFTA) members - Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

Several EU countries, especially those in eastern Europe, have taken matters into their hands this year as they struggled to cope with the numbers of migrants trying to cross their borders, adding to the more than one million refugees who made their way to Europe last year. Temporary fences were erected in the first part of 2016 on the Hungary border with Serbia, Slovakia, Romania and Croatia, the Slovenia/Croatia border, the Slovakia/Austria border and the Macedonia border with Greece and Serbia.

GETTY FILE PICTURE Critics say terrorists are able to travel too easily across the EU

In the last part of 2015, Germany re-introduced border checks with Austria, Norway introduced border checks with Sweden and ferry arrivals from Sweden, Denmark and Germany. Denmark also introduced border controls with Germany in January and the border in between France and Belgium started being controlled - although evidence of this was patchy.

Getty Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos said the new plans will 'bring Schengen back to normal'

The new EBCG agency will have a “rapid reaction pool” of 1,500 border guards which will be nominated by member states. Even if one member state opposes calls for the EU to provide assistance to a country, other EU members will still be allowed to temporarily reintroduce internal border checks.

Migrants clash with police across Europe Wed, February 15, 2017 Migrants clash with each other in over crowded camps across Europe. Play slideshow EPA 1 of 107 Moroccan Police look at immigrants trying to jump the six-meter-high fence in Ceuta, Spanish enclave on the north of Africa, 09 December 2016.

The agency will also take a leading role in returning migrants to their country of origin - something which so far has been heavily frowned upon by Brussels. EU migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos said the new agency would "prevent another crisis such as the one we experienced last year”. He added: "Making the new rules work without unnecessary delay is an indispensable element to bring Schengen back to normal. "This is a unique moment to turn this success story into reality. To show that we can act together united as one Europe. "This will be a strong message to our citizens that are demanding one thing - results and effective co-operation."