'We can't take any more!'

Europe’s top economy halted all trains from Austria and, in an historic move, temporarily suspended the open borders Schengen agreement in response to the arrival of tens of thousands of Syrian refugees in recent days. 

The decision marks a dramatic shift away from the current abolishment of passport checks throughout Europe's Schengen zone. 

German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said: 'At this moment Germany is temporarily introducing border controls again along [the EU's] internal borders. The focus will be on the border to Austria at first.

'The aim of these measures is to limit the current inflows to Germany and to return to orderly procedures when people enter the country.

Mr de Maiziere added: 'This step has become necessary. The great readiness to help that Germany has shown in recent weeks... must not be overstretched.'

The Interior Minister did not specify how long the border controls would remain in place or give details of exactly how incoming migrants would be handled. He said there could be disruption to rail travel. 

Most migrants have been arriving by train, with 800,000 in total expected to arrive this year.

Germany's national railway, Deutsche Bahn, said it had halted service between Austria and Germany for 12 hours at authorities' orders.

Tonight, officials were seen carrying out the first passport checks at the country's border with Austria.

Three Syrian migrants were stopped at the Freilassing crossing and told to remain on the side of the road in the Bavarian commune close to Austria's Salzburg, after German officers looked at their papers.

Mr de Maiziere's announcement came on the eve of tomorrow's meeting of EU interior ministers in Brussels, where European Commission proposals to redistribute about 160,000 asylum seekers across the bloc will be discussed.

But there are deep divisions between member states and no sign of a solution. 

The Schengen agreement – allowing passport-free movement across much of the European continent – is now under real threat following Germany’s temporary opt-out, although the European Commission said rules do allow countries to reintroduce controls in exceptional circumstances. 

In a statement the EU executive said: 'The temporary reintroduction of border controls between member states is an exceptional possibility explicitly foreseen in and regulated by the Schengen Borders Code, in case of a crisis situation.

'The current situation in Germany, prima facie, appears to be a situation covered by the rules.'

(dailymail.co.uk)