Austria continues to maintain border controls with Slovenia and Hungary. The Ministry of the Interior announced on Saturday that the controls will continue for six months after 11 November.
“In order to ensure public peace, order and security, the internal borders with the Republic of Slovenia and Hungary may only be crossed in land traffic at border crossing points in the period from 12 November 2023, 00.00 hrs, to 11 May 2024, 24.00 hrs,” the regulation states.
As we have reported earlier, several other countries have introduced or extended border control within the European Union due to the growing number of asylum seekers and terror threats. In the middle of October Germany announced a series of temporary internal border controls at its land borders with Poland, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, and Austria to combat smuggling crime and address issues related to irregular migration.
Germany
The Federal Police, tasked with enforcing these controls, employ a combination of stationary and mobile measures. These measures have already been in place at the German-Austrian border and will now be extended to the borders with Poland, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland.
The objective is to intensify the fight against smuggling and to limit irregular migration. Joint patrols and enhanced cooperation with neighboring countries are integral to this approach.
Minister Faeser emphasized the urgency of these measures, citing a recent tragedy on the German-Austrian border where seven individuals lost their lives while being smuggled into Germany.
Also, these controls aim to alleviate the burden on German communities struggling with the consequences of irregular migration.
The Federal Police will have the flexibility to implement a range of border control measures, depending on the situation. Close coordination with neighbouring countries and federal states will ensure that these measures function harmoniously across borders.
Poland and the Czech Republic
Joint action plans have been initiated with Poland and the Czech Republic, and plans for closer cooperation with Switzerland are already in progress.
While these border controls may have an impact on cross-border traffic, the government is determined to minimize any disruptions. The goal is to return to a state where internal borders do not require checks, relying on a common European asylum system and robust protection of the EU’s external borders.
According to data provided by the Federal Police, smuggling crime along the German borders with Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Switzerland has been on the rise. In the early part of October 2023, nearly 98,000 unauthorized entries into Germany were recorded, surpassing the 2022 total of around 92,000. An estimated one in four third-country nationals entering Germany illegally are believed to be smuggled.
The notification of these internal border controls will be initially implemented for ten days starting on October 16, 2023, and may be extended for up to two months.