Germany lodges application to extend border checks until March 2027
Germany has notified the European Commission that it wants to extend temporary checks at all of its land borders for another six months, meaning the controls could remain in place until March 2027.
The current border-control period is due to expire on September 15, 2026. If the extension goes ahead, checks would continue until March 15, 2027, affecting Germany’s land borders with France, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Poland.
Germany has justified the measure by pointing to continued irregular migration, migrant smuggling and pressure on the country’s asylum reception system. Authorities have also cited broader security concerns linked to international conflicts and the changing security situation in Europe.
The controls were introduced at Germany’s remaining land borders in September 2024, expanding checks that had already been in place at several other borders. Although the countries involved are part of the Schengen Area, EU rules allow temporary internal border controls when governments consider them necessary to address serious threats to public security or internal security.
The extension means travelers crossing Germany’s borders with neighboring Schengen countries can continue to face checks, although controls are not necessarily identical at every crossing. German Federal Police and other law-enforcement authorities can conduct checks at border crossings, roads, railway stations and other locations close to the borders.
The decision is likely to fuel debate over the future of the Schengen system, which normally allows people to travel between member countries without routine internal border checks. EU rules describe the reintroduction of such controls as a temporary measure and require countries to demonstrate that they remain necessary and proportionate.
For Germany, the latest move represents another step in its tougher approach to migration and border security. If approved, the extension would keep enhanced controls in place through the first quarter of 2027, marking a prolonged departure from normal Schengen arrangements.