The German state leaders have said that they want to tighten and extend the border checks with the neighbouring countries further.
During a meeting, the leaders said that the number of people seeking asylum in Germany is still far too high and thus recommended that additional measures be taken, including the acceleration of deportations, Schengen.News reports.
Moreover, the heads of the 16 federal states of Germany issued a joint statement in which they stressed that there is still a need for action on border controls, among others.
Recent data provided by Frontex show that around 152,134 people entered the territory of Germany from the beginning of this year until the end of September, representing a 30 per cent drop compared to last year.
Taking into account such numbers, the leaders said that the measures have been effective in reducing the irregular entries. However, they stressed that they need to be kept in place for a longer period in order to have a more long-lasting effect, Info Migrants explains.
The authorities further noted that the internal border controls with Poland, Czechia, and Switzerland will be extended beyond December 15, 2024. The border controls with Austria will also be extended beyond November 11, 2024.
In addition to the above-mentioned, the German authorities also said that they want to implement stricter rules on deportation that will help those who have been rejected for asylum in Germany return faster to their home countries.
Leaders have also called to reduce the benefits and incentives for secondary migration to Germany and to limit family reunification for those with subsidiary protection.
Germany Implemented Border Controls With All Its Neighbouring Countries on September 16
Germany introduced checks at all its land borders with the neighbouring countries on September 16 of this year.
The decision to introduce the checks was taken in an attempt to halt irregular migration to the country and prevent terrorist threats at an early age.
As the Minister of Interior of Germany, Nancy Faeser, explained, the border controls will remain in place for a period of six months. Nonetheless, if the situation does not improve, the checks might be extended for another period of time.
Recent figures indicate that border controls have had a significant impact on preventing irregular entries. Since September 16, when the border controls were introduced, until October 20, the German border authorities denied entry to about 1,000 individuals.
Moreover, during the same period, the border authorities recorded around 1,700 unauthorised entries and identified 30 smuggling cases.
Source: https://schengen.news/germany-wants-to-further-tighten-extend-border-controls/
