https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Germany in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Borders within Europe's Schengen area are meant to be open but several countries have checks in place but are they legal and will they be forced to scrap them? Claudia Delpero explains the history and what's at stake. https://www.thelocal.de/20220511/explained-which-schengen-area-countries-have-border-controls-in-place-and-why Wed, 11 May 2022 13:30:26 +0200 explained-which-schengen-area-countries-have-border-controls-in-place-and-why German Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière announced on Thursday that Berlin would be extending border controls for a further six months, meaning checks will stay in place in the Alpine region. https://www.thelocal.de/20171012/border-controls-between-austria-and-germany-to-stay-in-place-berlin-confirms Thu, 12 Oct 2017 14:38:07 +0200 border-controls-between-austria-and-germany-to-stay-in-place-berlin-confirms German Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière on Thursday said he was opposed to the rapid admission of EU countries like Romania or Bulgaria to the Schengen area without border controls. https://www.thelocal.de/20170914/germany-opposed-to-rapid-expansion-of-passport-free-schengen-area Thu, 14 Sep 2017 19:26:02 +0200 germany-opposed-to-rapid-expansion-of-passport-free-schengen-area German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday called for an extension of EU border controls in the passport-free Schengen area beyond a planned end in November. https://www.thelocal.de/20170829/merkel-calls-for-extension-of-eu-border-controls-in-schengen-area Tue, 29 Aug 2017 16:19:13 +0200 merkel-calls-for-extension-of-eu-border-controls-in-schengen-area Germany could lift temporary border controls brought in last year to help stem the migrant flow by mid-May if the number of arrivals continues to dwindle, Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said Tuesday. https://www.thelocal.de/20160406/germany-could-lift-border-controls-in-may-interior-minister Wed, 06 Apr 2016 10:33:17 +0200 germany-could-lift-border-controls-in-may-interior-minister Germans appear to be losing faith in the idea of a borderless Europe, as the results of a poll published on Tuesday showed that two-thirds would prefer the government to end the Schengen free-movement zone. https://www.thelocal.de/20160405/two-thirds-of-germans-want-borders-closed Tue, 05 Apr 2016 13:16:17 +0200 two-thirds-of-germans-want-borders-closed In response to the Brussels terror attacks, the German Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière called on Tuesday evening for stronger European co-operation on exchanging personal data. https://www.thelocal.de/20160323/germany-calls-for-europe-wide-data-control-to-fight-terrorism Wed, 23 Mar 2016 09:47:33 +0100 germany-calls-for-europe-wide-data-control-to-fight-terrorism Reintroducing borders across continental Europe would deal the German economy a €77 billion blow, a new study argues. https://www.thelocal.de/20160222/closing-eu-borders-could-cost-germany-235-billion Mon, 22 Feb 2016 11:53:17 +0100 closing-eu-borders-could-cost-germany-235-billion Germany's second-largest police union on Tuesday called for the reintroduction of internal European border controls and demanded more personnel to deal with a record flood of refugees. https://www.thelocal.de/20150811/police-union-wants-eu-border-controls-back Tue, 11 Aug 2015 18:34:06 +0200 police-union-wants-eu-border-controls-back Germany on Monday said it was open to talks on allowing Romania and Bulgaria into the passport-free Schengen zone, which has been a delicate subject among European countries. https://www.thelocal.de/20150310/schengen-bulgaria-romania-germany-steinmeier-visit-travel-passports Tue, 10 Mar 2015 09:18:08 +0100 schengen-bulgaria-romania-germany-steinmeier-visit-travel-passports Weapons and dangerous objects were successfully smuggled through security checks 50 percent of the time at Frankfurt airport, in a probe by European Commission inspectors, it emerged on Sunday. https://www.thelocal.de/20141222/security-tests-find-holes-at-frankfurt-airport-european-commission Mon, 22 Dec 2014 09:45:00 +0100 security-tests-find-holes-at-frankfurt-airport-european-commission Germany will veto Romania and Bulgaria joining the Schengen passport-free zone if the two countries push their membership at an EU meeting this week, German Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich warned on Sunday. https://www.thelocal.de/20130303/48303 Sun, 03 Mar 2013 19:25:00 +0100 48303 German and French plans to reclaim control of their borders have been condemned by German politicians as "right-wing populist rhetoric". The move comes ahead of Sunday's first round vote in the French Presidential elections, in which President Nicolas Sarkozy has been trailing in the polls. https://www.thelocal.de/20120421/42087 Sat, 21 Apr 2012 14:29:00 +0200 42087 Germany and France began moves this week to reclaim the power to close their borders for up to 30 days, in a simmering battle over immigration in Europe's passport-free Schengen travel zone. https://www.thelocal.de/20120420/42067 Fri, 20 Apr 2012 09:11:00 +0200 42067 With Denmark poised to reintroduce customs checks at its borders after decades of unfettered travel in Europe, a German state minister has called for people to boycott holidays to the Scandinavian country. https://www.thelocal.de/20110705/36071 Tue, 05 Jul 2011 10:00:00 +0200 36071 German Justice Minister Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger has sharply criticised Denmark’s decision to reintroduce border controls and demanded EU officials take action against the Scandinavian country. https://www.thelocal.de/20110701/36019 Fri, 01 Jul 2011 19:00:00 +0200 36019 German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle underlined Wednesday Berlin's objections to Danish plans for permanent customs checks at their internal EU border, after talks with his Danish counterpart. https://www.thelocal.de/20110615/35681 Wed, 15 Jun 2011 17:58:00 +0200 35681 As Denmark prepares to vote on re-introducing border controls, a diplomatic war of words has heated up between the German and Danish officials. https://www.thelocal.de/20110610/35581 Fri, 10 Jun 2011 11:07:00 +0200 35581 Germans living in the region near Denmark fear the thriving cross-border trade and traffic will be significantly affected by the re-imposition of border controls recently announced by the Danish authorities. https://www.thelocal.de/20110520/35147 Fri, 20 May 2011 13:36:00 +0200 35147 Germany has slammed Denmark’s unilateral decision to reintroduce tighter border controls, warning that it breaches Europe’s cherished Schengen agreement allowing free movement. https://www.thelocal.de/20110512/34973 Thu, 12 May 2011 12:54:00 +0200 34973