Information
Starting on September 16, Germany will expand its border checks to all its land borders for at least six months, adding northern and western borders alongside the already monitored eastern and southern borders. This will affect border crossings with countries like Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and France. Germany, located in the Schengen Area, which generally has no internal border checks between member states, cites an overloaded asylum system and irregular migration as reasons for the new controls. The move has sparked criticism, particularly from Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who argues that Germany’s actions threaten the integrity of the Schengen system. While these border checks may disrupt the movement of people and goods, they will be limited to visual and random checks, particularly on highways, and not enforced around the clock.
The European Union allows internal border controls under specific conditions but emphasizes they should only be used as a last resort. Despite this, several Schengen members, including Germany and France, have maintained or reintroduced border controls for various reasons like terrorism, migration pressure, or public health, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. Germany has been monitoring its border with Austria since 2015 to curb terrorism and manage asylum seekers. Now, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser aims to intensify the border checks to reduce unauthorized entry, but asylum-seekers will still be processed under the EU’s Dublin Regulation. Although Faeser seeks to expedite asylum procedures, the necessary camps for processing migrants near the border have yet to be set up. This development reflects broader European debates on balancing security with the principles of free movement within the Schengen Area.
Source: DW
So what
As stated in previous assessments, this switch in policy towards migration is likely a reaction to the rise in support for the AFD. Though it is possible that it is a response to the recent knife attacks, this has happened in the past and has not caused change.
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