Poland is asserting dominance over unauthorized immigrants.
In a move that significantly impacts the Schengen Area and its member countries, Poland has reinstated border controls on its borders with Germany and Lithuania, effective from July 7, 2025. This decision, primarily driven by Poland’s concerns over rising irregular migration and cross-border security issues, has challenged the principle of free movement within the zone.
Key impacts of this decision include:
1. Restriction of Freedom of Movement: The temporary border checks mean travelers crossing from Germany and Lithuania into Poland face increased scrutiny, including identity checks and potential delays, which undermines the Schengen agreement’s core tenet of passport-free travel within the member states.
2. Tensions Among Member States: Poland's decision follows frustrations with Germany, which Poland accuses of pushing migrants back into Polish territory without proper coordination. This has caused diplomatic strains and a deterioration of mutual trust regarding migration management.
3. National and EU Security Implications: Poland emphasizes that the reinstatement of controls is a measure to safeguard national and European security, particularly given its role as a gateway to the EU’s external border with Belarus, where there has been an increase in irregular migration.
4. Precedent for Other Countries: Germany itself has also imposed temporary border controls due to migration and smuggling concerns. Poland’s action could encourage other Schengen states to consider similar measures, potentially leading to more frequent internal border checks within the EU and further fragmentation of the Schengen area’s open-border policy.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has indicated the decision is firm despite criticism from other European capitals, underlining Poland's commitment to border security and its insistence on solidarity from neighbors in managing migration flows.
Meanwhile, the German Interior Minister, Alexander Dobrindt, has offered to work with Polish colleagues on border control, with the proposal involving Polish and German border guards operating exclusively on the German side of the border. However, the Polish Defense Minister, Vladislav Kosiniak-Kamysz, has reacted negatively to the proposal, stating that the German Minister should not dictate what to do in Poland.
The resumption of border control with Germany is due to the need to verify the legal conditions for the possible acceptance of migrants from the German side. This decision has sparked concerns among Polish doctors working in Germany, representatives of the Polish tourism industry, and transport companies.
The Polish prime minister has labeled activists organizing "civilian patrols" in border regions and blocking traffic as "militias" of the main opposition force in the country, the conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party, as well as the right-nationalist "Confederation."
In an effort to combat illegal immigration, Poland has spent over half a billion euros on building a large fence with sensors, which has proven to be 98% effective. One of the most popular routes for illegal immigrants passing through the Baltic republic is at the Polish-Lithuanian border.
This reinstatement of border controls by Poland signals a major shift in Schengen area dynamics, highlighting the challenges that irregular migration poses to the free movement regime and the balance between national security and European integration efforts.
- The reinstatement of border controls by Poland on its borders with Germany and Lithuania, as part of war-and-conflicts and crime-and-justice concerns, has significant impacts on policy-and-legislation, especially regarding the Schengen Area and its principles of free movement.
- In response to rising irregular migration and cross-border security issues, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk reiterated the country's commitment to border security, challenging general-news narratives about European solidarity and cooperation on migration management.
- The resumption of border checks between Poland and Germany, amid tensions among member states, may set a precedent for other Schengen states considering similar measures, potentially impacting the politics of the EU and the future of the open-border policy in the Schengen Area.
