Faeser extends border controls until December 15

Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser (SPD) is extending border controls with Poland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland until December 15. This is to be reported to the EU Commission in Brussels shortly, a spokesperson said in Berlin on Monday. It is assumed that the controls, particularly at the German-Polish border, should continue.

Border controls are not actually planned within the Schengen area and must be reported to Brussels. On 16 October, Faeser instructed the federal police to carry out stationary checks at the border with Poland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland, as has been the case at the land border with Austria since 2015.

Since 16 October, around 3300 unauthorized entries have been detected at the border with Poland and 1100 unauthorized entries have been prevented, the spokesperson said. "This means that these measures are working and will continue to do so." If someone is apprehended at the border and makes it clear that they want to apply for asylum, they are generally allowed to enter.

The overall aim of the controls is to "put a stop to the increasingly unscrupulous and increasingly brutal smuggling crime", said the spokesperson. For example, more than 30 smugglers have recently been apprehended on the German-Polish border. At the same time, Faeser believes it is important that negotiations on a common European asylum system move forward.