
Poland's border checks: Beginning of the end of Schengen? – DW – 07/07/2025
When Poland introduced border checks with Germany and Lithuania this week, it wasn't the first time that a Schengen country took such a step. These measures are typically justified as necessary to curb irregular migration, combat human smuggling, or address national security concerns. But for many analysts, it may be one of the clearest signs yet that the European Union's borderless travel area, seen as a symbol of integration and common identity, is under increasing strain.
According to Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, the controls are temporary and aimed at stopping human trafficking and irregular migration. Yet the move comes just weeks after Germany itself ramped up checks along all its land borders, including with Poland, under the new conservative government of Chancellor Friedrich Merz. For many observers here in Brussels, the tit-for-tat measures reflect a deeper shift away from European solidarity and toward national self-interest.
Created in the 1990s, the Schengen Area allows passport-free travel across 29 European countries, covering most of the EU plus several non-members like Norway and Switzerland. It facilitates the free movement of over 450 million people and underpins Europe's single market by eliminating internal border checks for goods, services, and labor. For businesses, commuters, and travelers alike, Schengen is one of the EU's most practical achievements.
In an interview with DW, Birte Nienaber, Associate Professor at the University of Luxembourg, underlined that Europe is seeing a slow erosion of border-free moment in Europe, one frontier at a time.
Davide Colombi, a migration researcher at the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) based in Brussels, agrees that the recent Polish-German dispute fits a broader European pattern.
France has maintained border checks since the 2015 terrorist attacks. Austria first introduced controls on its borders with Slovenia and Hungary in September 2015, at the height of the refugee crisis, and has renewed them every six months since, citing migration pressures and internal security.
Slovenia introduced checks with Croatia less than a year after the latter joined Schengen, citing increased migration and concerns over organized crime. And Germany, which had long resisted tightening its internal borders, began expanding them last autumn, a move the European Commission has so far not formally challenged. Under EU law, such checks are only allowed in exceptional circumstances and must be temporary.
"These border controls are purely political symbolism, without a real effect of curbing migration," says Professor Nienaber. She emphasizes that with the rise of far-right forces in Europe, populist narratives are gaining grounds across all parties. Centrist leaders face pressure to show "toughness" on migration — and border controls are a visible measure popular with the public.
But how effective are they really? Official statistics cast doubt on the pertinence of border checks inside the Schengen area. German police say that in the first month of enhanced border operations this spring, just 160 asylum seekers were turned away. Polish media reports that Germany returned around 1,000 migrants to Poland between May and mid-June, a figure not significantly different from previous years.
"Smugglers or those trying to enter irregularly know exactly how to avoid official checkpoints," said migration expert Nienaber. "The controls don't stop them. They only create the illusion of control."
Researcher Colombi agreed that such policies are more about optics than outcomes. He underlined that EU member states have so far failed to prove the necessity for the controls in, for instance, curbing migration, or preventing terrorist attacks.
Meanwhile, border communities, especially in regions like Luxembourg, Austria, and Poland, are already feeling the negative effects: longer wait times, disrupted supply chains, and growing economic stress on cross-border local businesses. A detailed European Parliament study estimated that reinstating internal border checks leads to substantial time losses: 10–20 minutes for cars and 30–60 minutes for heavy vehicles, and costs the transport sector around €320 million — and that's only accounting for delays, not the broader economic fallout.
The economic cost is therefore not trivial. Schengen affects the free movement of goods, services, capital and people: the four pillars of the EU single market. Prices could rise, supply chains could slow, and cross-border jobs and businesses could be lost.
A Bulgarian logistics association recently estimated border delays previously cost the sector €300 million ($352 million) annually. Since Romania and Bulgaria joined Schengen this year, cross-border traffic has significantly increased and become more efficient. In the first three months of 2025 alone, traffic between the two countries rose by 25%, with over 160,000 vehicles crossing compared to 128,000 in the same period the year before, according to Romania's Road Administration Agency.
The average wait times at crossings have dropped from over 10 hours to less than two. For regional hauliers and border towns that rely on smooth trade flows, this has meant faster deliveries and a revived economic outlook. A return to hard borders, experts warn, could undo that progress, hitting not just supply chains, but also the livelihoods of thousands who depend on seamless daily crossings.
EU law allows internal border checks in exceptional cases: they must be limited to six months with clearly justified renewals. Yet several member states have simply continued extending them. France's controls have been in place almost continuously for nearly a decade. Austria, Denmark, Sweden and now Germany have also operated under long-term exceptions.
"We can see that these border checks are becoming permanent in some member states. That was never the intent of the Schengen agreement," says researcher Colombi.
He explains that the European Commission has faced criticism for not enforcing limits more robustly, for instance through infringement procedures. This could risks opening the floodgates for others, creating a domino effect.
The EU and its leaders are aware of the risks. If internal border checks become permanent, the Schengen system could unravel entirely.
This would not only disrupt the free movement of people, goods, services, and capital, key pillars of the EU single market, but also undermine the legal integrity of EU treaties, increase costs for businesses, slow supply chains, potentially erode citizens' trust in the European project itself.
The Commission is now working to update the Schengen Borders Code and launch two digital border management tools: the Entry/Exit System (ESS) and the ETIAS, a visa-waiver screening platform. Both are designed to better track non-EU nationals entering the zone and reduce the perceived need for internal checks.
The Commission says these reforms represent an evolution of Schengen, not its breakdown. But Colombi argues that if Schengen is to survive, it will need more than legal tweaks or digital tools.
Rather, he says, "we need political courage, the rebuilding of mutual trust between member states and enforcement by the European Commission." Above all, the subject of migration should be de-politicized, shifting the public debate away from ineffective measures such as border controls.
Both experts are skeptical that this will happen anytime soon. With far-right parties reshaping political narratives in many countries, the pressure to reassert national sovereignty is only growing, Nienaber explains. She warns that if governments continue to use internal border controls as political instruments, rather than last resort security tools, the Schengen Area could soon fall to pieces.
Should Schengen fall apart, the economic damage could be severe. Reinstated border checks would slow down the flow of goods, disrupt just-in-time supply chains, and increase transport costs, particularly in logistics-heavy sectors like agriculture, retail, and manufacturing. Cross-border workers would face longer commutes, while small businesses in border regions could lose vital customers. For everyday citizens, it could mean longer queues at borders, higher prices in stores, and diminished access to services and job markets across borders.
But the symbolic loss could be just as profound, says Colombi: "Schengen is one of the most visible signs of a common European identity and a flag-ship achievement." Should Schengen fall, it's most tangible way to experience the EU as a transnational project for citizens would fall, too.
To prevent that, both experts argue that the EU and its member states must recommit to the core idea behind Schengen: that Europeans should be able to move freely, without fear, delay, or political posturing, across their shared continent.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Int'l Business Times
an hour ago
- Int'l Business Times
Trump Claims Russia-Ukraine War Wasn't His 'Initial Focus' Despite Promise to End Conflict on 'Day 1'
Donald Trump downplayed his role in the Russia-Ukraine war on Monday, calling it "a Biden war" and saying the conflict was "not an initial focus" of his administration, despite repeatedly promising to end the war on "day 1" of him being back in office. The president's remarks came during a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, following a meeting in which the two leaders discussed military aid to Ukraine. In response to a reporter's question about why he was giving Russia 50 more days to negotiate, Trump said, "I've just really been involved in this for not very long. It wasn't an initial focus. This is a Biden war. This is a Democrat war." Trump has long claimed he could broker peace in Ukraine "within 24 hours," often criticizing Joe Biden for fueling the war through U.S. support. But the recent comments marked the first time Trump acknowledged a lack of personal involvement or focus on the war during the early part of his second term, now six months in. He also promised that if negotiations failed within 50 days, he would impose a 100% tariff on Russian goods. In the same briefing, Trump announced a new agreement with NATO allies to supply Ukraine with American-made weapons, reportedly funded by European nations, according to the Mirror . "We made a deal today... We're not buying it, but we will manufacture it and they will be paying for it," Trump said. While the president now insists on a short timeline for negotiations, he offered no specific diplomatic plan beyond tariffs and weapons sales. Originally published on Latin Times


DW
2 hours ago
- DW
Muhammadu Buhari: A legacy of 'praise and pain' – DW – 07/14/2025
The strongman-turned-democrat led Nigeria twice — as military ruler from 1983 to 1985 and as elected president from 2015 to 2023. Muhammadu Buhari died at 82 in a London clinic on July 13. Muhammadu Buhari leaves a mixed legacy in Nigeria. He is remembered for trying to foster integrity in the country and for leadership that was deeply flawed. "From his military era to his two-term civilian presidency, he leaves behind a legacy filled with both praise and pain. We must reflect on justice and accountability," Sheriff Ansu, a digital content creator, said. Human rights activists say Buhari never let go of his autocratic tendencies. "Buhari was an ethnic bigot. He had contempt for the rule of law; he disobeyed court orders. He engaged in enforced disappearances of critics," Omoyele Sowore, an Abuja-based activist, told DW. "In 2015, he presided over mass murder of over 300 Shiites in Zaria. Young Nigerians protesting police brutality were gunned down in October 2020 by soldiers directed by Buhari. That is unforgettable and unforgivable." The protests were part of a movement dubbed #EndSARS, named after a special police unit accused for years of racketeering, torture and murder. The Buhari government violently crushed the movement. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Buhari defeated Goodluck Jonathan at the polls in 2015, in what was judged to be Nigeria's fairest general election to date. Not everyone liked having a former military general at the country's helm. Many nevertheless hoped he would crack down on armed groups. "He is one man who believed in making Nigeria the best place to live on Earth. He tried his best to bring Nigerians together as military ruler and a democratically elected leader," Yusuf Dantalle, chairman of Nigeria's Inter Party Advisory Council, told DW. "That does not mean he was perfect. He had his flaws like any other human being." "What stands out is that his presidency triggered national conversations around leadership accountability, youth inclusion and restructuring of systems to entrench democracy," Osasu Igbinedion Ogwuche, a media entrepreneur told DW. Many had expected Buhari's tenure as democratically-elected leader to be characterized by the kind of discipline, order and stability of a military veteran. Buhari described himself as a "converted democrat" when he swapped his military uniform for kaftans and prayer caps. "I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody," was his constant refrain to both supporters and critics. But Buhari's lacklustre leadership often made headlines and earned him the moniker "Baba Go Slow." It took him six months to name his ministers in 2015 and the oil-dependent economy was hobbled by low crude prices. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Buhari earned a devoted following for his brand of anti-corruption conviction politics. But his crackdowns on corruption also ran into criticism and failed to yield high-profile convictions. He retained his popularity in the country's poor and largely Muslim north, where he was from and where voters propelled him to his second term in 2019, That came despite a term that was blighted by Nigeria's first recession in a generation, attacks on oilfields by militants. Buhari was seen to repeatedly ignore advice from the International Monetary Fund to devalue the naira. Instead he kept the currency artificially high — the same failed approach he used as military ruler in the 1980s. In 2022 the production of oil — by far Nigeria's greatest export — fell to its lowest level in more than two decades due to theft in the Niger Delta. Frail health often interfered with Buhari's tenure as president. He made frequent trips to hospitals abroad for an undisclosed illness. In 2017, rumor of his death swirled after he disappeared from public eye for 51 days, reportedly to undergo treatment. Buhari's death at a London health facility reminded many Nigerian citizens of his medical trips and the controversy it had courted. Buhari, an ethnic Fulani and devout Muslim was born on December 17, 1942, in the northern Katsina state. He joined the army at 20 and rose quickly through the ranks, becoming an officer and the military governor of the states of Northeast and Bauchi. In 1976, the country's then military ruler Olusegun Obasanjo appointed Buhari as petroleum and energy minister. The position put him in charge of a newly founded National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Despite his new key role in Africa's largest oil producers, Buhari returned to the army as a commander, rejoining its Supreme Military Council, and leading several units. In 2003, he was presidential candidate for the All Nigeria's Peoples Party. His defeat was follwed by similarly unsuccessful bids in 2007 and 2011. In 2015, Buhari finally won the presidency with 54% of the vote. He had promised to fight rampant corruption and defeat the Islamist terrorist Boko Haram militia. "The symbolic thing about his victory is the fact that he is considered one of Nigeria's most incorruptible leaders. That is significant in a country where the population does not believe people in important positions deserve such a reputation," Manji Cheto, the vice president of Teneo Intelligence, said at the time. On December 31, 1983, when General Ibrahim Babangida and other members of the military overthrew elected President Shehu Shagari, Buhari was appointed to chair Nigeria's Supreme Military Council. To play this audio please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 audio He went on to suspend the Constitution, ban all political parties, and clamp down on corruption — making good on his threat at the time to jail the corrupt "without the nonsense of judicial proceedings." Under Buhari's "war on indiscipline" nearly 500 people were jailed for corruption and wasting taxpayers' money. Public servants were reportedly made to genuflect for coming late to work. Buhari had people executed, was intolerant of criticism and restricted press freedom. Nobellaureate Wole Soyinka said Nigerians felt they were living under an "iron-fisted, rigid rule and governance that spreads fear." Ironically, Buhari's reign ended as it started: in a coup staged by General Babangida in August 1985. In the 2022-2023 presidential race, Buhari endorsed Bola Tinubu who had been dishing out praise over his dedication to national unity, reforms and discipline. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video


DW
2 hours ago
- DW
Ukraine updates: Trump warns Russia of 'very severe tariffs' – DW – 07/14/2025
The US president said he was "very unhappy" with Russia and warned there would be "very severe tariffs" if there was no deal to end the war in Ukraine in 50 days. DW has more. US President Donald Trump expressed his disappointment with Russia and warned of severe economic consequences if there was no agreement to end the war in Ukraine in 50 days. The comments come amid rising tensions between the United States and Russia. Washington's special envoy for Ukraine meanwhile arrived in Kyiv to discuss security and sanctions against Moscow. Keith Kellogg's visit is expected to last about a week. It follows Donald Trump's announcement that the US would send Patriot air defense missiles to President Donald Trump has revealed his awaited "major statement" on Russia, threatening Moscow with "very very severe" tariffs unless a deal to end the war with Ukraine is reached within 50 days. Trump made the announcement as he sat side-by-side with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office, saying he was very unhappy with Russia. "I use trade for a lot of things," he added. "But it's great for settling wars." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that he had asked Yuliia Svyrydenko to become the new prime minister. Svyrydenko has served as Ukraine's first deputy prime minister and economy minister. "I have proposed that Yuliia Svyrydenko lead the government of Ukraine and significantly renew its work. I look forward to the presentation of the new government's action plan in the near future," Zelenskyy wrote on X. He also mentioned that they discussed concrete measures to boost Ukraine's economic potential, and that they are initiating a transformation of Ukraine's executive branch to achieve this goal. Svyrydenko has held her current position since November 2021. Previously, she was the deputy head of Ukraine's presidential office. Denys Shmyhal is the present Prime Minister. He has been in office since March 2020. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with US President Donald Trump's special envoy Keith Kellogg in Kyiv. According to a social media post by Zelenskyy, they discussed defense cooperation and sanctions on Russia during a "productive" conversation." "We discussed the path to peace and what we can practically do together to bring it closer," the Ukrainian leader wrote on X. "This includes strengthening Ukraine's air defense, joint production, and procurement of defense weapons in collaboration with Europe. And of course, sanctions against Russia and those who help it," Zelenskyy added. He thanked Kellogg for visiting Ukraine and Trump for sending important "signals of support." The US president is expected to deliver a "major statement... on Russia" on Monday. During his meeting with US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth in Washington on Monday, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is set to deliberate the pressing matter of providing Ukraine with Patriot air defense systems. Berlin has already provided Kyiv with three of the 12 Patriot systems it previously possessed. "We only have six left in Germany," Pistorius said in an interview with British daily . The German minister added that at least one Patriot unit was always unavailable due to maintenance or training, and that two others had been lent to Poland. "That's really too few, especially considering the NATO capability goals we have to meet. We definitely can't give any more," Pistorius said. The minister said he would discuss his proposal from last month with Hegseth for Germany to purchase two Patriot systems from the United States for Ukraine. During the interview, Pistorius also stated that Germany would not deliver its long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine despite Kyiv's renewed request. The Kremlin said that US President Donald Trump's remarks about supplying Patriot air defense missiles to Ukraine mean that US arms and ammunition deliveries to Kyiv are ongoing. "Now it seems that these supplies will be paid for by Europe, some will be paid for, some will not," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters when asked about Trump's announcement. "The fact remains that the supply of weapons, ammunition, and military equipment from the United States continued and continues to Ukraine," Peskov added. Peskov said the Kremlin believed that Kyiv was clearly in no hurry for the third round of peace negotiations. He added that Russia was ready for the talks and awaiting clarity on the timing from Ukraine. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed on Telegram that Russian forces had taken control of two more Ukrainian villages: Malynivka in the southern Zaporizhzhia region and Maiak in the eastern Donetsk region. No comment has been issued by Ukrainian authorities as of yet. Over the summer, Russia escalated its offensive in its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, advancing the front line and launching some of the war's largest missile and drone attacks. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Russian President Vladimir Putin's investment envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, stated that dialogue between Russia and the United States would persist despite seemingly growing tensions between the two powers. "This dialogue will continue — despite the titanic efforts to disrupt it by all means possible," Dmitriev said in a post on the Telegram messaging app. The official made the comments after US President Donald Trump expressed frustration with Putin over Russia's invasion and announced that the US would send Patriot air defense system missiles to Ukraine. Trump had made rapproachement with Moscow and a negotiated settlement to the war in Ukraine a major pillar of his campaign for election as US president, but has in recent weeks increasingly vented his frustration with the apparent lack of progress on peace talks and Russia's continued aerial bombardment of Ukrainian cities. Trump is expected to deliver a "major statement" on Russia on Monday, having previously hinted he was open to slapping Moscow with further sanctions. Earlier this year, Dmitriev, the head of Russia's Direct Investment Fund, met with Trump's special envoy, Steven Witkoff, when Witkoff visited Russia. Dmitriev also attended Witkoff's meeting with Putin. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius will meet with US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth in Washington. Security in Europe is likely to be a focus of Monday's talks, given the growing Russian territorial aggression in Ukraine. The meeting is also expected to center on Berlin's offer to pay for American Patriot air defense systems for Ukraine, a proposal announced by Chancellor Friedrich Merz weeks ago. On Sunday, US President Donald Trump said he would send Patriot missiles to Ukraine, adding that the EU would reimburse the President Donald Trump said Sunday that the United States will send Patriot air defense missiles to Ukraine to help the country fight Russia's full-scale invasion. "We will send them Patriots, which they desperately need, because Putin really surprised a lot of people. He talks nice and then bombs everybody in the evening. But there's a little bit of a problem there. I don't like it," Trump said. The delivery of Patriot missiles would be paid for by NATO and the EU, Trump said. However, Trump did not specify how many missiles would be sent to Ukraine. The US president's announcement of much-needed weapons for Ukraine came after he said he would deliver a "major statement... on Russia" on view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video US special envoy Keith Kellogg arrived in Kyiv for a nearly weeklong visit focused on defense and sanctions talks. Andriy Yermak, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's top aide, posted a video on X showing himself welcoming Kellogg at the Kyiv railway station. "We welcome US Special Representative Keith Kellogg to Ukraine," Yermak wrote on Telegram, adding "peace through strength is the principle of US President Donald Trump, and we support this approach." "Defense, strengthening security, weapons, sanctions, protecting our people, strengthening cooperation between Ukraine and the United States — there are many topics to discuss," Yermak wrote. In his evening address on Sunday, Zelenskyy said that he had instructed military commanders to present Kellogg with information on Russia's capabilities and Ukraine's prospects. Earlier this month, Washington said it would pause some arms deliveries to Kyiv, but Trump recently changed course, criticizing Russian President Vladimir Putin for intensifying attacks as US-led peace talks stalled. Welcome to DW's coverage of the latest developments in Russia's war in Ukraine. As Russia continues its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, US special envoy Keith Kellogg arrived in Kyiv for defense talks. On Sunday, President Donald Trump announced that the United States would send Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine. This announcement marked an abrupt change in Trump's position, as just two weeks ago the US paused the delivery of weapons to Ukraine. Stay tuned for more news and analysis.