A320
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 168; Flight Crew Type 2402
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Unstabilized Approach
Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Procedure; Human Factors; Weather
We were being vectored for the ILS 22L approach at EWR. Weather was a broken cloud layer that went down to about 700 ft. Approach did not slow us down like they normally do to intercept the LOC so Captain asked if we could slow.  ATC instructed speed 210kts or greater/descend 3000 ft. / fly heading 150 deg.  While in turn further instructions issued: 'Fly 190deg to intercept the localizer / 2500 ft. until established / 180 kts or greater until BUZZD / cleared ILS22L approach / contact TWR 118.3'. When we intercepted the LOC we were above glide path and fast; but slowing. To get on glide path I made slowing the aircraft and configuring the priority which I did. To get slowed up more quickly I turned the autopilot off; but left the auto-thrust on. Configured at gear down; flaps 3; and 170 kts I initiated an aggressive descent that I maintained through 1600 ft. At that point I started to reduce the descent rate; slow and go to flaps full. As we approached approximately 1200 ft. Tower advised us they had a low altitude warning on us; however when I looked at the glide slope we were still one dot above. I also had intermittent visual contact with the ground; but not the field. About this time aircraft also made a sink rate call. At this point we were fully configured and I was continuing to slow the aircraft while reducing the descent rate. I picked up the runway going through 700 ft. and the aircraft was within stable approach criteria. I also picked up the PAPI and it showed two reds and two whites which I maintained until the threshold. We continued to an uneventful landing.
A320 First Officer reported receiving a low altitude alert from ATC on approach into EWR.