F. whereas there is a risk of contagion in the region as, if the CAR becomes a sanctuary for terrorists, narcotics traffickers, jihadists and bandits, neighbouring countries will also be affected; whereas the Cameroon authorities temporarily closed the border with the CAR after Séléka rebels attacked the border town of Toktoyo and killed a Cameroon border officer;

J. whereas on 21 August 2013 the Cameroon authorities temporarily closed the border with the CAR after claiming that Séléka rebels had attacked the border town of Toktoyo and killed a Cameroon border officer; whereas despite the reopening of the border, lorry drivers remain hesitant about crossing into the CAR, owing to deteriorating security conditions;

J. whereas on 21 August 2013 the Cameroon authorities temporarily closed the border with the CAR after claiming that Séléka rebels had attacked the border town of Toktoyo and killed a Cameroon border officer; whereas despite the reopening of the border, lorry drivers remain hesitant about crossing into the CAR, owing to deteriorating security conditions;

whereas the international community has witnessed over the last few years a harrowing trend of attacks on hospitals and schools in armed conflicts around the world, such as the latest attacks on Doctors without Borders (MSF) health centres in Kunduz (Afghanistan) on 3 October 2015, in Razah (Yemen) on 10 January 2016 and in a number of Syrian towns throughout the ongoing conflict; whereas there has been an unprecedented increase in denial of humanitarian aid and access, the execution of civilians and humanitarian personnel, detention in dire conditions, and civilians being used as hostages or forced into slavery; whereas the growing ne ...[+++]eds and challenges, the lack of sustained commitments and the rising cost of humanitarian assistance have contributed to the current humanitarian system reaching its limits, and whereas this has forced a number of organisations to temporarily suspend food assistance, shelter and other life-saving humanitarian operations.

Questions were asked about the criteria for selecting the towns under Urban, the seemingly complex procedures under Equal and the eligibility of external frontiers under Interreg III.

Others argued in favour of free movement for everyone, which would mean an end to internal border checks altogether. Since Member States could not reach agreement, France, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands decided in 1985 to create a territory without internal borders. This became known as the "Schengen area", after the town in Luxembourg where the first agreements were signed.