Berlin faces EU backlash as Dobrindt confirms six-month extension of internal border checks

Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt formally notified the European Commission on 6 March that Germany will prolong its temporary controls on all land borders until 15 September 2026. The move—already announced on 16 February—required a second legal notification under Article 25 of the Schengen Borders Code. In a letter leaked to Die Sachsen, Dobrindt cites “continued secondary movements of irregular migrants” and “the security implications of the Middle-East conflict” as justification. Saxony’s Green party immediately filed a parliamentary question accusing the ministry of breaching EU proportionality rules, while Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas told reporters the Brussels executive would “scrutinise whether the objective conditions remain met.” Germany first re-introduced controls in September 2024 and has renewed them three times. Logistics firms complain that routine spot-checks on trucks crossing from France add up to 45 minutes per journey and €80 million in annual costs. Multinationals should expect the status quo—systematic ID inspections on inbound road and rail legs—to continue through the summer. Employees using cross-border commuter routes must carry passports or residence cards and allow for potential delays, especially around Euro 2026 football fixtures.