Germany Considers Extending Border Controls Beyond March 2025

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser supports prolonging the temporary border measures, citing their effectiveness in reducing irregular migration and combating smuggling.

Germany reinstated border controls in September 2024 for six months, expanding them to all land borders, including those with Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg.
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser argues that the measures have been effective in addressing irregular migration, human smuggling, and cross-border crime.
Faeser plans to extend the border controls past March 2025, emphasizing the need for strengthened EU external border protections before lifting the measures.
Critics, including Saarland’s Minister-President Anke Rehlinger, express concerns over the impact on free movement in border regions and the Schengen Agreement's principles.
The controls have sparked debate about balancing security needs with maintaining the EU's commitment to open borders under the Schengen framework.