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German Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser announced on Tuesday her intention to extend border controls beyond their initial deadline on December 15, 2024. This announcement was made during a security tour across various German federal states.
As part of the second leg of her 2024 security tour, Minister Faeser visited the Federal Police at the German-Polish border in Görlitz, Saxony, to discuss pressing issues such as combating human trafficking, smuggling, and irregular migration. These issues have become critical in Europe, leading to the adoption of a new EU migration and asylum pact aimed at reforming the migration system.
The current border controls are in place along Germany’s borders with Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Switzerland, with the aim of curbing irregular migration and smuggling activities. Although these measures have shown some success, Faeser emphasized to reporters that the controls need to stay until there is a significant reduction in irregular migration.
Typically, border checks are rare within the EU’s Schengen Area, where free movement is a fundamental principle. Any reintroduction of internal border controls must be endorsed by the European Commission and comply with the Schengen Border Code of 2016, which requires any such measures to be proportional under EU law. Germany had obtained a temporary exemption due to a spike in irregular migration in 2023 and further extended these controls during the 2024 European Football Championship. With the exemption set to expire on December 15, 2024, Faeser plans to seek an additional exemption until EU’s new strict laws on irregular migration come into effect at the end of next year.
While the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), which Faeser belongs to, supports extending the border controls, the move has generated opposition, particularly from the Green Party, a coalition partner in Germany’s government. The Green Party argues that the extension conflicts with the Schengen Borders Code and infringes upon the fundamental right to freedom of movement. In an open letter to the European Commission, the Greens criticized the controls as “massive hurdles for the coexistence of Europe.” On the other hand, conservative parties like the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) have supported Faeser’s proposal, emphasizing the need for increased border controls in light of growing global security threats.
It remains uncertain how Faeser’s request for an extension will proceed and whether the objections from opponents will affect the final decision.
For more details, you can read the original article on JURIST.
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