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Border controls between Germany and Poland: A look into the future
Frankfurt (Oder) in focus: New border controls since August 2025, effects on migrants and the regional population.
Border controls between Germany and Poland: A look into the future
On August 5, 2025, a uniform change at the Polish border came into force: controls will now be carried out at 52 border crossings. The measure, justified by Poland's Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak as a response to illegal migrant smuggling, has an immediate impact on the border region, particularly in cities such as Frankfurt (Oder), Guben and Görlitz. RBB24 reportsabout the concerns of residents who feel their freedom of movement is restricted by the new regulations.
Knut Abraham, the federal government's new Poland coordinator, expressed in an interview his understanding of Prime Minister Donald Tusk's decision to introduce the controls. However, he emphasized that these cannot serve a long-term goal in migration policy and called for quickly implemented solutions such as commuter lanes in order not to unnecessarily burden traffic. Abraham's voices bear witness to the challenges that recent developments can pose for the affected cities and their residents.
The political dimension
The introduction of border controls is not an isolated case. More and more European countries, including Belgium, are introducing similar measures, indicating a worrying wave of national decisions, while the EU appears powerless in this situation. The Süddeutsche reportsthat an upcoming summit on the Zugspitze could trigger movements to tighten asylum policy.
Abraham warned against the populist forces that are trying to shift responsibility for the migration situation to the outside world. There is concern, particularly in the European community, about the erosion of the southern external borders, which can only be effectively stopped by reforming the Common European Asylum Policy (CEAS). He advocates that migrants should be returned to their home countries instead of moving them to countries like Belarus.
Reactions to the measures
Reactions to the border controls are mixed. In addition to the concerns of local residents, neighboring countries such as Austria also feel disadvantaged. There are fears here that the German measures could lead to an “image crisis” that affects not only Germany but the entire EU. Tagesschau reportson the concerns raised in the EU Parliament, particularly regarding the rejection of asylum seekers.
An EU MP called on the EU Commission to examine the legal basis for German border controls. The Schengen area, which provides freedom of travel for over 400 million Europeans and includes 23 EU members, is in jeopardy if national measures like this become the norm. Ireland, Bulgaria, Romania and Cyprus are not or only partially involved for various reasons.
Developments at the borders make it clear that the question of finding a common solution to the migration challenges in the EU has become more urgent than ever. The EU Commission has been remarkably quiet in the discussion so far, but it is clear that a uniform and coordinated approach is necessary in order not to endanger freedom of travel in Europe.