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Border controls in Frankfurt (Oder): What does this mean for residents?
The new border controls between Frankfurt (Oder) and Słubice since July 2025 affect the everyday life of residents and the movement of goods.
Border controls in Frankfurt (Oder): What does this mean for residents?
Since July 7, 2025, the city bridge between Frankfurt (Oder) and Słubice has been in focus again because Polish authorities have introduced border controls. This measure became more widely known as a response to the German controls that have already been in place since October 2023. Loud rbb24 Controls were introduced on the 252 meter long bridge, which symbolizes exchange between the two countries, in order to prevent illegal migration to Poland. There will be no traffic jams for the time being; most vehicles are waved through quickly.
But the controls are not without controversy. Residents of the border towns report dissatisfaction and easier traffic jams, especially for delivery trucks and cars with dark windows. Cross-border commuters like Khaled show their passports, while pedestrians are stopped and cyclists have to dismount. “The existing border controls on the German side make everyday life more difficult for the residents,” said Dorota Wiencek, who lives with her family in Frankfurt (Oder) and sends her children to a bilingual daycare center zdftoday.
Economic impact
The IHK Ostbrandenburg assumes that there will be logistical problems, as the importance of the border crossing for the movement of goods should not be underestimated. Around 4 million trucks cross the border every year, which corresponds to a daily movement of goods worth around five million euros. Monique Zweig from the IHK explains that the border controls are affecting economic relations with Poland. Michele Seidel, a Frankfurt resident, also expresses concerns about job opportunities for Polish employees.
It is also particularly emphasized that the controls are seen as a step backwards for Europe. Tomasz Stefański, the deputy mayor of Słubice, sees this as an ineffective measure in migration policy. However the situation develops, clarifying these tensions will become more urgent with an upcoming summit on the Zugspitze to potentially discuss further tightening of asylum policies, while other European countries such as Belgium are also considering rejecting similar measures, it is reported sueddeutsche.de.
Political reactions are mixed: some Polish citizens support the controls as appropriate, while others like Robert Reuter from Frankfurt call for border controls to be concentrated at the EU's external borders rather than disrupting citizens' everyday lives.