In an open letter addressed to the European Commission, Greens politicians have slammed the ongoing internal border controls ordered by German Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser in a bid to curb irregular migration.

The letter, penned by members of the Green Party from the European, federal, and state parliaments, expressed concerns over the stationary border checks imposed on Germany's borders with Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Switzerland, the German newspaper group Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND) reported on Monday (August 12).

Addressed to the European Commission and its president, Ursula von der Leyen, the letter challenges these measures introduced by the interior ministry, highlighting in particular the potential implications for European unity and freedom of movement under Schengen rules.

The letter is signed by prominent Green Party politicians, including MEPs Anna Cavazzini and Erik Marquardt, Bundestag members Filiz Polat and Marcel Emmerich, and Brandenburg state parliament member Sahra Damus.

Interior Minister praises border checks

In October 2023, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser implemented stationary border controls at Germany's land borders with the Czech Republic, Poland, and Switzerland, and formally notified the EU Commission.

These measures added to the existing controls at the Austrian border, which have been in place since 2015. The checks, which have repeatedly been extended, are aimed at restricting irregular migration and combating human smuggling.

Interior Minister Faeser praised the effectiveness of these measures, claiming that the internal border controls are indeed disrupting smuggling routes and making the country safer overall.

"For me, the border controls will remain as long as necessary," Nancy Faeser commented this week, adding that this would probably be until the new European asylum system takes effect.

Border checks likely to be extended

The European Union agreed in December on new rules to handle irregular arrivals of asylum seekers and migrants -- a deal hailed as a breakthrough after almost a decade of bitter feuds across the bloc on the issue. 

However, it could take until the end of 2025 for the pact to take full effect, meaning that the interior ministry might repeatedly apply to extend the controls.

The existing border controls are currently set to expire on December 15 for Switzerland, the Czech Republic, and Poland, and on November 11 for Austria, but might be renewed once more.

Additionally, border checks were conducted along the French border in conjunction with the Paris Olympic Games. During the European Football Championship in June, similar checks were implemented across all German borders, citing security concerns in both instances.

Green MPs urge return to free Schengen zone

Green MPs meanwhile argue that the temporary controls introduced at internal EU borders for major events like the European Football Championship and the Olympic Games should be lifted once the events are concluded.

According to the letter, however, Germany, along with seven other EU member states, is in violation of the Schengen borders code by keeping the internal EU border controls in place without any explicit and exceptional reason.

They emphasize that the prolonged use of stationary border checks, some of which have been in place for years, must come to an end to restore the openness of the bloc's Schengen area.

The Schengen Area is a group of 27 European countries -- most of which are also members of the European Union -- that have abolished internal border controls, allowing for passport-free travel across most of the continent. 

Effectiveness of border controls 'very questionable'

The letter by the Greens politicians also references a new expert report, which "shows that the intended effect of border controls and reports of success in this regard are very questionable and in many cases not statistically proven."

Instead, the letter states that according to the report there are indications of people using alternative routes to circumvent and compensate for potential border checks.

It also highlights that some people intercepted at the border checkpoints could have been counted multiple times in the statistics examined in the report.

The letter also noted that an increase in border controls could inadvertently result in a rise of illegal pushbacks at borders elsewhere in Europe, by keeping migrants out of the EU and emboldening states outside the bloc to use force to keep migration at bay.