Germany’s border controls may be extended until the European Union’s new asylum system takes effect at the end of 2025, the Ministry of the Interior Nancy Faeser has announced.
Faeser said on August 13 that border controls put in place with Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland have worked well.
“For me, the border controls will remain as long as necessary,” she said, adding that would probably be until the EU asylum system takes effect.
“We have achieved great success in reducing irregular migration, the fight against smugglers has been very effective.”
Currently, Germany has border controls with the Czech Republic, Poland and Switzerland set to remain until December 15, while those with Austria are set to last until November 11.
Faeser’s remarks came amid criticism from Germany’s Greens party.
On August 12, Greens politicians wrote an open letter to the European Commission, arguing that Germany’s internal border controls do not comply with the Schengen Border Code.
Green representatives have written an open letter to the European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, demanding she ends border controls in Germany. https://t.co/ojscBy8Dgq
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) August 14, 2024
Others, such as the Bavarian interior minister Joachim Herrmann, have supported Faeser’s plan. “We need the intensified border controls for security and migration reasons more than ever,” he told German news agency DPA.
To extend such controls, Berlin will have to notify the European Commission, Faeser commented.
Under the Schengen Agreement, Germany can only reintroduce temporary controls at internal borders in the event of serious security threats and must adequately justify those actions and comply with EU laws.
The Commission allowed Germany to introduce temporary checks at borders in response to a sharp increase in first-time asylum requests last year.
Limited checks were also allowed during the Euros Football Championship in June, as well as during the Paris Olympics.
German authorities have announced the measures have been effective, leading to a fall in illegal entries since their introduction.
Police detected well over 1,000 illegal entries or attempted entries into Germany shortly before the start of the competition on June 16.https://t.co/vfYhQX5QSH
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) June 19, 2024
