Refugee crisis: EU ministers vote to end passport-free travel

But the Centre for European Reform argues that Europe should not dismantle Schengen – but rather improve the system by processing refugees more effectively, boosting external border security and sharing intelligence.

It also suggests that the fake Syrian passport in Paris could have been a deliberate plot to reignite the debate about Europe's asylum policies.

"Why would a terrorist leave a passport behind? European governments should not fall into [the] trap by responding with knee-jerk reactions such as closing borders."

Doing so would also do nothing to stop home-grown terrorists – like the French and Belgian nationals involved in the Paris attacks – as international law prohibits a country from denying entry to its own nationals.