With the main European holiday season about to begin, EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner has again called on Berlin to phase out the temporary controls it has kept in place at its land borders with Austria, Poland and the Czech Republic since 2024. Speaking to journalists in Brussels on 16 July, Brunner argued that irregular border crossings into the EU have fallen by roughly one-third in the first half of 2026 and that the new Common European Asylum System (GEAS) provides a stronger external-border filter. Germany first re-introduced checks in response to a surge in asylum applications and pressure from the southern migration routes. The current extension—signed by Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt—runs until mid-September and coincides with one of the busiest travel periods for holidaymakers and cross-border commuters. Logistics associations estimate that every ten-minute delay at the German–Austrian border costs freight operators about €12 million per week in lost productivity. Business groups and several Länder governments have echoed Brunner’s concerns, warning of hours-long traffic jams and lost trade. Martin Schulz, former European Parliament President, said the checks were “economically senseless” and risked violating the spirit of free movement. Industry body BDI has urged the federal government to publish a clear exit strategy tied to GEAS milestones so that transport companies can plan rotas and just-in-time deliveries with confidence. For globally mobile employers, the continued controls mean that posted workers, service engineers and courier drivers must still allow extra time or choose alternative routes, adding cost to German-based supply chains. HR teams are advised to brief travellers on possible waits of 30–60 minutes at major crossings and to carry proof of residence status even within the Schengen Area in case of spot checks.
Source: Tagesschau
