The Danes will also conduct spot checks and all in order to fight crime and illegal migration. Although the move falls short of full reinstatement of border controls, it is the latest in a series of small steps reversing hassle-free travel across European Union frontiers. The decision was designed solely for domestic political reasons – to satisfy a party in the ruling coalition that is skeptical about immigration.

However, it is also a sign that opinion in Europe about open borders is changing following fears about unemployment and increased migration from tumultuous North Africa.

"We can't separate Denmark's announcement from the wider context of what we've been seeing the past few weeks," said Joanna Parkin, an analyst at the Center for European Policy Studies, a Brussels-based think tank. Danish Immigration Minister Søren Pind explained that rather than border controls, Denmark wants customs controls searching for drugs and weapons.

More information:Border control agreement in place

The official website of Denmark: Denmark .DK