European asylum policy

Analysis: Border controls could cause Schengen cooperation to collapse

Poland has introduced tighter controls on its border with Germany. This is not the first time a country in the Schengen area has made such a decision, writes Tessa Walther in DW. Although European cooperation is intended to strengthen free movement on the continent, several countries, including France and Austria, have had border controls for a long time.

“If internal border controls become permanent, the entire Schengen cooperation could collapse,” Walther’s text says.

Jan Hartman in the Polish Polityka is on the same track. Europe and the Schengen cooperation are facing tough times.

“It is no longer obvious that you can travel through Europe without being stopped by a patrol at the border or along the road,” he writes.

The Polish government says the decision was made due to the border controls Germany has had on its border with its neighboring country since 2023. This has caused debate, with criticism coming from many quarters.

SVT's foreign affairs reporter Natacha López points out that there are those on the political right who believe that the decision comes too late and that more needs to be done to limit immigration to Poland.

– But there are also those who believe that this border control is unnecessary, she says.

Poland: Will lift controls when Germany does

The controls at the border with Germany that Poland introduced on Monday will be lifted, but not until Germany makes the same decision. This was stated by Poland's Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak on Monday.

He emphasizes that the Polish government supports free movement within the EU, but that all member states must cooperate.

– We want free movement to function fully, and that the problems with illegal immigration and migration should be solved together without any party being harmed, he says.

Germany has had border controls with Poland since 2023 and the controls have been increased in the last two months.