Germany’s Interior Ministry has opted to prolong stationary controls at all of its Schengen land borders—including the frontier with Czechia—until 15 September 2026. A Bundestag document released on 18 July confirms that the measure, first re-introduced in October 2023 and repeatedly extended, will remain for another six-month cycle. Berlin argues that record irregular migration along the Balkan route, continued strain on the asylum-reception system, and smuggling networks justify the decision. For Czechia, the extension means another two months of spot checks at the busy D5/A6 (Rozvadov-Waidhaus) and D8/A17 (Krásný Les-Bad Schandau) corridors that carry the bulk of bilateral trade and thousands of daily commuters. Long-haul truckers have already reported average delays of 30–45 minutes during morning peaks, while bus operators have been instructed to carry complete passenger manifests. Corporate mobility managers should advise posted workers and business travellers to keep passports (or national ID for EU citizens) on hand, factor in extra time for airport-style inspections, and budget for potential demurrage on time-critical road freight. Third-country nationals transiting Germany en route to Czech assignments can still rely on their Schengen visa or residence permit, but must be prepared to justify travel purpose at the checkpoint. The Bundestag debate also revealed political pressure: a Green Party motion tabled the same day called the controls “legally dubious” under Schengen rules and urged the federal government to focus on faster asylum-processing instead of internal borders. While that proposal was voted down, lawmakers agreed to review the necessity of controls every two months, leaving open the possibility of an earlier lift should migration numbers fall.
Source: Deutscher Bundestag
