German border controls | EU calls for coordination in migration control

Brussels. The European Commission is appealing to the new German federal government to closely coordinate border controls with its neighboring countries. Such measures require close coordination "especially with all affected member states," said a spokesperson for the European Commission in Brussels. The Commission is in contact with the authorities in Germany and its neighboring countries "to obtain the necessary information about these measures and their practical implementation." In principle, the reintroduction of temporary controls at internal borders is possible, but only under certain conditions.

The reason for this is the tightened rules at the German borders ordered by Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU). As reported by "Bild am Sonntag," according to an initial assessment, 19 refugees were turned back on Thursday and Friday despite applying for asylum due to illegal entry. In total, the Federal Police registered 365 illegal entries on these two days, and 286 people were turned back. The main reasons were missing visas, missing or forged documents, and existing entry bans.

In his new border decree, Dobrindt had provided exceptions for vulnerable individuals: children, pregnant women, and the sick were not to be turned away. In four cases, migrants seeking asylum were therefore able to enter the country. Furthermore, within the two days, 14 alleged smugglers were provisionally arrested, 48 outstanding arrest warrants were executed, and nine people "from the extremist or Islamist spectrum" were apprehended upon entry.

Chief of Staff Thorsten Frei (CDU) emphasized that the measures had been agreed upon with the country's European neighbors and were not intended as a permanent solution. However, some neighboring countries had previously expressed strong criticism of Berlin's actions.

The Federal Police confirmed that they are implementing Dobrindt's order. "Our colleagues will turn away every asylum seeker and person seeking protection, except for pregnant women, sick people, and unaccompanied minors," Andreas Roßkopf of the Police Union told Bild. Responsibility for this lies "solely with the Federal Ministry of the Interior." Roßkopf thus contradicted Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU), who had previously emphasized that Germany's controls were similarly moderate as they were for the 2024 European Championships – at that time, there were no rejections.

The measure remains controversial domestically. Green Party politician Helge Limburg accused the federal government of "communication chaos" and criticized blanket rejections as a violation of European law. SPD parliamentary group leader Matthias Miersch also warned that any action must be coordinated with neighboring countries.

Sören Pellmann, chairman of the Left Party's parliamentary group in the Bundestag, also voiced sharp criticism. At the party conference in Chemnitz, he said: "Those who pursue right-wing policies out of fear of the right can only lose." The Left Party will resist such measures.

At the same time, the EU Commission allocated three billion euros for migration measures in the member states. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced this at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) in Brussels. The funds will primarily be used to accommodate Ukrainian refugees, but will also flow into two funds earmarked for border protection, visa policy, and integration. The funds come from reallocations in the EU budget and are expected to be available until the end of 2027.

According to the Commission, the aim is to support member states in implementing the new EU rules on asylum and migration. These are to come into force next year and will, among other things, enable uniform procedures at the external borders and facilitate the return of people without a right to protection. Agencies/nd