Germany’s decision to expand border controls to its frontiers with all nine of its neighboring countries has raised questions about the future of the border-free Schengen Area in Europe. The move, aimed at preventing irregular migrants from entering the country, comes in response to a series of deadly extremist attacks that have heightened security concerns and fueled support for far-right groups like the Alternative for Germany party.
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser stated that the goal of the border controls is to limit irregular migration, prevent criminal activity, and identify and stop potential threats, including Islamist extremists, at an early stage. The measures, which will be in place for an initial six-month period, will involve temporary structures at land border crossings and spot checks by federal police.
The decision to expand border controls has sparked concerns from neighboring countries like Poland and Austria, as well as from the European Commission, which emphasizes that such measures should only be implemented in exceptional circumstances. Germany, a central European country that borders nine Schengen Area members, including France, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, previously had border controls in place with some of these countries and is now extending them to all of its neighboring nations.
As Germany’s actions test European unity and the principles of the Schengen Agreement, the future of the border-free zone is called into question. The move represents a shift towards stricter border controls within the Schengen Area, potentially signaling a departure from the free movement of people and goods that has been a cornerstone of European integration. The implications of Germany’s decision on the Schengen Area and the broader European Union remain to be seen, as the continent grapples with security challenges and debates over immigration and national sovereignty.
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Video “Are Germany’s border controls ‘the new norm’? Is border-free Schengen Area ‘a thing of the past’?” was uploaded on 09/16/2024 to Youtube Channel FRANCE 24 English