Germany will implement temporary checks at all its land borders

Starting September 16, Germany will implement temporary checks at all its land borders, according to an announcement made on Monday by Interior Minister Nancy Faeser. These controls are initially expected to last for six months.

In order to more effectively reduce the number of unauthorized entries into Germany, Faeser has mandated temporary border checks across all of Germany’s land crossings, as reported by Die Welt on Monday. The minister shared this decision during a press conference.

The border controls will begin on September 16 and will initially be in place for six months. Die Welt highlighted that the purpose of these measures, aside from reducing illegal migration, is to protect national security from current threats, including Islamic terrorism and cross-border crime.

The controls are expected to last half a year. Faeser also stated during the press conference that Germany has informed the European Commission about the decision to introduce temporary border checks. She emphasized that Germany needs to “tighten border controls even further” and that these additional measures are designed to shield the country from “serious threats,” such as those posed by “Islamic terrorism and organized crime.”

According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, since October 2023, more than 30,000 people have been turned away at Germany’s borders. In mid-October 2023, Faeser ordered checks at the borders with Poland, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland.