The federal government has decided to extend controls at all German external borders for a further six months. According to Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the measure, which would otherwise have expired in mid-March, is intended to help prevent unauthorized entry and curb irregular migration. The decision has already been notified to the European Commission, as such controls are only permitted in exceptional cases in the Schengen area.
According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, around 80.000 illegal entries have been detected since border controls were expanded last year. In addition, around 1.900 people smugglers were arrested and around 47.000 people were turned away due to missing visas or forged documents. Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser stressed that the measures also serve to combat people smuggling and organized crime.
In autumn 2015, Germany extended the controls on the border with Austria, which had been in place since 2023, to Poland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland. In September, controls followed on the borders with Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. The German government sees the measure as a necessary means of ensuring internal security, while critics fear a restriction on freedom of movement in the Schengen area.
and 