Germany has begun temporary checks on all land borders. This is to last at least six months. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser assured “Bild am Sonntag” that the checks will not cause long queues. The checks are to be aimed at combating cross-border crime and limiting illegal migration.
On September 9, the Federal Minister of the Interior ordered controls at the land borders with FranceLuxembourg, Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark. Similar controls are already in force at the borders with Austria (from November 11, 2024), Poland, Switzerland and Czechs (from 15 December 2024).
Germany begins border controls
The federal police will carry out checks flexibly and depending on current security requirements, the German police said on Sunday. Ministry of Interior. This, as indicated, will determine the scope, duration and specific locations of the checks. The German Ministry of Internal Affairs emphasized that controls are to be aimed at combating cross-border crime and reducing illegal migration.
Nancy Faeser assured the newspaper “Bild am Sonntag” in a Sunday interview that the controls will be closely coordinated with neighbouring countries and will not result in long queues at the borders.
– There will be no long traffic jams, but intelligent checks, in line with the requirements of the current situation – said the German Interior Minister. Earlier, however, her ministry stated that temporary disruptions in cross-border traffic cannot be ruled out.
How to cross the German border?
The German Interior Ministry reminded that people who want to cross the German border should have an identity document with them – an identity card or passport. In addition, third-country nationals must meet their entry requirements, e.g. have a visa if necessary.
The reason for ordering temporary controls at Germany's land borders is the need to further curb illegal migration and protect the country's internal security, the Ministry of Interior emphasized in a statement. “In addition, the current security situation, in particular protection against Islamic terrorism and serious cross-border crime, is also of decisive importance,” it added.
The discussion on similar solutions in Germany was re-ignited by the knife attack in Solingen at the end of August, which was claimed by Islamic State. Then the suspect, a 26-year-old Syrian, killed three people and seriously injured eight.
Germany has informed the European Commission about the temporary border controls. In her letter to the EC, quoted by the AFP agency, Faeser wrote that the resources of the federal and state governments for receiving and caring for refugees are “almost exhausted” and “reaching the limits of what can be achieved”. She stressed that public pressure on this issue is “unabatedly high”. Faeser also appealed to Brussels for “energetic cooperation in order to achieve visible and rapid progress”.
Criticism of Berlin's decision
Berlin's decision sparked criticism from some EU countries, including Poland. Prime Minister Donald Tusk called the move “unacceptable” and a “de facto large-scale suspension of the Schengen area” – although controls on the German-Polish border have been in place since October 2023. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis made a similar statement, describing Germany’s introduction of temporary controls as a “unilateral elimination of Schengen rules.” According to Mitsotakis, controls cannot be the answer to the migration issue.
The German Interior Ministry reported that since October 16, 2023, the federal police have recorded around 52,000 attempted illegal border crossings and carried out around 30,000 expulsions as part of temporary border controls with Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria and Switzerland. The refusals of entry – as noted – include cases of presenting invalid/false documents or attempting to enter without a visa or valid residence permit.
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