Germany to Reintroduce Controls at All Land Borders
The German Interior Minister has notified the European Commission that the country will reintroduce controls at all of Germany’s land borders.
Checks at all borders
According to German media, checks will be conducted at all of Germany’s land borders, beginning on 16 September.
Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, a member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), has already notified the European Commission about the German plans.
Government sources told quality newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine that the reintroduction of border controls aims to curb illegal immigration into the country and serves as a countermeasure against Islamic terrorism and cross-border crime.
Stricter border controls
German tabloid Bild, also citing government sources, reported that the proposed plans will result in even stricter controls than those currently in place at some of Germany’s borders.
Since Minister Faeser introduced additional controls at Germany’s borders with Poland, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland in October 2023, and extended the ongoing checks at the Austrian border, over 30,000 people have been denied entry into the country.
Government sources have described the new border control regime as a “model for effective rejections [of entry into Germany] that complies with European law”.
Germany and Schengen
Germany is part of the Schengen Area, a group of European countries that have abolished border controls between them, allowing for passport-free movement of people across their internal borders.
However, the Schengen Treaty includes a provision allowing countries to temporarily reintroduce border controls at internal borders if there is a serious threat to public policy or internal security.
Schengen Zone countries are also permitted to conduct police checks at borders or in border areas, provided these checks are not aimed at border control, are carried out through spot-checks, and are neither systematic nor permanent in nature.
What to expect as a tourist visiting Germany
If you are a tourist planning to travel to Germany by car, bus, train, or ferry from 16 September onwards, you should be aware that extra controls may be conducted at the border by German police.
Although the exact nature of the additional border checks is not yet clear, there may be traffic jams and subsequent delays on the main motorways into Germany.
On trains entering Germany, it is likely that German police will walk through the train at the border station to conduct on-the-spot passport checks.
Such checks, which were already common for many years on trains from Austria to Germany, are now likely to be implemented on all international trains entering the country.
If you are planning to travel by train into Germany, it’s advisable not to schedule tight connections in case of a long delay of your cross-border train, which is generally wise given the German Railways’ poor on-time performance record.
When flying into Germany from another Schengen Zone country, you may encounter on-the-spot police checks upon disembarkation from your plane.
However, since German authorities already have access to the passenger manifests of each incoming flight, there is likely to be less emphasis on airport checks compared to controls at Germany’s land borders.
Conclusion
From 16 September, Germany will reintroduce controls at all of its land borders.
The measure, announced by Germany’s Federal Interior Minister, is intended to stop illegal immigration and combat organised crime and terrorism.
If you are planning to travel to Germany, especially by car, bus, or train, you should take into account the possibility of delays due to these border controls.
