Poland begins border controls: Chaos threatens at the German border!

Poland begins border controls: Chaos threatens at the German border!

The German-Polish border is currently at the center of a flashpoint that not only affects travelers from Poland, but has far-reaching effects on the entire region. Since October 2023, the German authorities have introduced controls for travelers from Poland to combat irregular migration. Long traffic jams on the Polish side are the noticeable consequence of these measures. From next Monday, July 10th to August 5th, travelers, commuters and trucks will also be checked on the Polish side. This creates further tension and traffic slowdowns, especially for vehicles with tinted windows or many occupants.

The checks themselves are not carried out at fixed barriers, but rather randomly, which means that some travelers encounter unforeseen delays. The entry requirements remain unchanged, so an identity card is sufficient for travel between Germany and Poland. However, commuters are severely affected; Every day around 13,000 people commute to Saxony and more than 14,000 to Brandenburg. Brandenburg's Interior Minister has already warned of an impending traffic collapse due to the checks on both sides.

Political backgrounds

One reason for the German controls is the increased number of unauthorized entries. Since May 8th, 7,960 such entries have already been registered, and in the German-Polish border region there have been around 1,300 rejections, including 285 asylum applications. This has also brought Polish politics into the spotlight. The Polish opposition party PiS is using the issue to mobilize its voters, while the government has expressed serious concerns about unauthorized patrols organized by right-wing groups.

The police union fears that asylum seekers could be sent back and forth between countries, but the Federal Interior Minister considers this unlikely. The pressure is also being felt economically: Brandenburg's chambers of industry and commerce are warning of negative effects on trade and the movement of goods. The toll-free statistics show that around 9.7 million trucks subject to toll passed through the German-Polish border crossings in 2024.

European dimension

A look beyond the immediate borders shows that controls in the Schengen area are once again very popular. Countries such as Austria, France and the Netherlands have also taken their own measures. There are efforts at European level to speed up asylum procedures. In April 2024, the EU Parliament approved a new border procedure for asylum decisions that aims to make assessments quick. The aim of the reform is to quickly deport migrants with a low probability of asylum at the external borders and to decide on applications within a strict time frame of twelve weeks.

The development of irregular entries is also noteworthy: According to Frontex, there was a decrease of 38 percent in 2024 compared to the previous year. This is the lowest level since 2021 and is partly attributed to refugee agreements with North African countries. Cooperation with the Western Balkan states also has a positive effect.

However, the normalization of the border situation between Germany and Poland remains uncertain and could depend heavily on future asylum system reforms. Every day counts for commuters and travelers between the two countries, and speculation about further developments is high. The next time will show whether and how the situation at the border eases.

Further information can be found at Radio Ennepe Ruhr, European Parliament and South German newspaper.