by Oliver Noyan
As pressure grows in Berlin to reintroduce checks on all German borders, its neighbouring EU countries are warning the move could lead to a domino effect that could unravel the border-free Schengen area.
The border-free area of Schengen, considered the crown jewel of European integration, has come under increased pressure in recent years, with more and more countries reintroducing border controls.
Germany is at the forefront of this development, using stationary checks to tackle irregular migration flows on its southern and eastern borders. Pressure is, however, growing in Berlin to reintroduce permanent controls on all German borders, with the conservative Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU)/Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU) especially pushing for the move.
“The controls at all German state borders must be continued,” the respective heads of the CDU and the CSU, Friedrich Merz and Markus Soder wrote in an op-ed for Bild, referring to the temporary checks that were introduced during the European Football Championship.
Though the CDU is currently not in power, it is consistently polling first place, with the possibility of regaining the chancellery following the upcoming German federal election in 2025. Furthermore, the move is also supported by the liberal FDP, which has made the fight against irregular migration one of its priorities.
Germany’s eastern neighbours, who have long been separated from the rest of Europe through the Iron Curtain, are especially taken aback by this development.
“This would be a fundamental departure from the current legislation and the principle of Schengen itself, which would undoubtedly lead to the domino effect of checks throughout Schengen,“ Czech Interior Ministry spokesperson Hana Mala told Euractiv.cz.
“This issue must be addressed at the highest political level on a Europe-wide basis,” he added.
Poland like Czechia, warned that the current controls would already lead to, “difficulties related to border traffic,” and urged the German side to consider, “an early abolition of controls on the Polish border and possible alternative measures,” the Interior Ministry told Euractiv.
Up to now, Berlin has introduced checks on their borders with Czechia, Poland and Austria, with German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, stressing that they will remain until irregular migration is “noticeably” decreasing.
Much to the dismay of its neighbours, this is unlikely to happen any time soon. According to a new report by the federal police from Wednesday (21 Aug), the flow of irregular migration has reached the highest levels since 2016, when the refugee crisis kept Europe on tenterhooks.
Though most of the stationary border controls currently in place were introduced years ago — with the checks at the Austrian border dating back to the refugee crisis of 2015 — the plan put forward by the CDU/CSU would also affect Germany’s northern and western neighbours for the first time.
Some EU countries, like Denmark, are unfazed by the prospect of border controls, with a Danish government spokesperson saying it would “change very little,” others are more concerned.
“For a country like ours, situated at the heart of Europe and with a very open economy, the smooth operation of the Schengen area is essential,” a Belgian government spokesperson told Euractiv.
The country’s neighbours are not the only ones ringing the alarm bells. The German Greens, currently part of the three-way government coalition in Berlin, are also warning that the controls would undermine the border-free Schengen area.
In a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the Greens went against their own government by voicing, “concerns regarding the stationary border controls introduced by the Federal Ministry of the Interior.”
The letter also argued that the border checks do not comply with EU law, as they would have to be exceptional, strictly limited in time, and a measure of last resort.
“A new expert report shows that the intended effect of border controls and their related reports of success are highly questionable, and in many cases not statistically proven,” the letter stated.
*first published in: Euractiv.com
By: N. Peter Kramer
