Germany has advised that it is introducing stricter border controls. The key points are as below.
- Border checks will be introduced at all of its land borders on September 16.
- The checks will remain in place temporarily for a period of six months.
- Controls are being introduced to protect national security and prevent irregular migration.
There are numerous articles on this subject in the mainstream news channels.
Given Germany’s size, geographical location and large number of EU states bordering it, there are concerns about potential disruption to trade. Once the checks enter into force, controls will apply to the land borders with Austria, Belgium, Czechia, France, Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, and Switzerland. Germany shares a more than 3,700 km long border with these nine countries. Germany and all its neighbours are part of the Schengen border-free zone and under European Union rules temporary controls are allowed “as a last resort, external measure, in exceptional situations” for up to six months.
