Border Control Between Germany And Austria: What's The Situation?

Border controls between Germany and Austria have been in place since 2016, with Germany's Federal Minister of the Interior, Nancy Faeser, extending checks every six months to combat human smuggling and restrict irregular migration. In 2023, Germany announced intensified checks at its borders with Poland, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, and Austria, citing security concerns and migrant smuggling as reasons. Austria followed suit, introducing intensified checks at its northern border with the Czech Republic. These measures aim to curb irregular migration and prevent smuggling, but they also cause long queues and disruptions for commuters and trade transport. The Schengen Borders Code allows member states to temporarily reintroduce border controls in exceptional situations, and both Germany and Austria have utilised this provision to combat the challenges posed by migration and cross-border crime.

Border checks between Germany and Austria were introduced in 2016

Germany assured its neighbouring countries that the checks would be selective and would not disrupt commuters and trade transport. However, long queues formed at some border crossings, causing delays and traffic congestion. The border checks were implemented by the German Federal Police, who worked closely with partner authorities in neighbouring countries and federal states.

The border controls between Germany and Austria have been extended multiple times. In January 2025, Germany notified the European Commission about the extension of temporary checks along its internal borders until June 15, 2025. Border checks at the German-Austrian border were also included in this extension and were set to last until May 11, 2025. The German Border Guard carried out monitoring activities at different points and times along smuggling routes, depending on the situation.

The introduction and extension of border checks between Germany and Austria have been part of a broader effort to manage migration, combat smuggling, and address security concerns. Since the initial implementation of border checks in October 2023, the German authorities have detected a significant number of unauthorized entries and interventions, contributing to a decrease in asylum applications and an increase in removals.

Checks are to combat human smuggling and restrict irregular migration

Germany and Austria have both implemented stricter border control measures to combat human smuggling and restrict irregular migration. In October 2023, Germany reintroduced physical checks at its borders with the Czech Republic, Poland, Switzerland, and Austria. These temporary controls were aimed at curbing irregular migration and countering the smuggling of migrants. Austria also introduced intensified checks at its northern border with the Czech Republic to prevent smugglers from changing their routes.

The decision to implement these measures was made by the German and Austrian governments in response to concerns over irregular migration and human smuggling. According to the Federal Ministry of Interior spokesperson, these controls have proven effective in identifying human smugglers and preventing unlawful entries. German police apprehended 230 alleged smugglers following the expanded checks, and authorities prevented about 1,100 individuals from unlawfully entering Germany at the Polish border.

The issue of human smuggling is a serious global problem, with criminal networks making billions of euros worldwide. Smugglers use land, sea, and air routes to facilitate irregular migration into and within the European Union. It is often associated with other forms of serious and organized crime, including terrorism, human trafficking, document fraud, drug crime, and money laundering. The loss of migrants' lives at the hands of smugglers, especially in the Mediterranean Sea, stresses the urgency to tackle this issue.

To combat human smuggling and restrict irregular migration, Germany and Austria have implemented various measures. Germany's Federal Police, state police forces, and Federal Customs Administration cooperate through joint investigation teams and police and customs cooperation centers. They also conduct border checks at international airports and patrols along the borders and on trains. Austria's interior minister announced that police officers would carry out effective and targeted controls at the Czech border to prevent smuggling mafias from shifting their routes. These measures are in line with the EU's renewed action plan against migrant smuggling, which aims to strengthen operational cooperation and information exchange among EU countries and law enforcement agencies.

Austria also introduced intensified checks at its border with the Czech Republic

Austria's border with the Czech Republic was established in 1918, at the end of the First World War, with the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the creation of Czechoslovakia. The border is 466.3 km long and runs from a border tripoint formed by the Austrian, German, and Czech borders, turning east towards a tripoint formed by Austria, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia.

Austria introduced intensified checks at its border with the Czech Republic to prevent illegal immigration and smuggling. The Austrian Interior Minister, Gerhard Karner, stated that "police officers will carry out effective and targeted controls at the (Czech) border in order to prevent the smuggling mafia from shifting their routes". The Austrian measure was to remain in force for 10 days. This move came after Germany's announcement to reintroduce physical checks at its borders with the Czech Republic, Poland, and Switzerland. Germany's directive was also meant to curb irregular migration and counter migrant smuggling, and the first checks were carried out soon after the announcement.

Austria's intensified checks were implemented to match the Czech Republic's checks at the border to Slovakia, preventing any spillover as both countries tackle illegal immigration through the Balkans and Hungary. The Austrian Police have carried out border checks in the past, specifically in 2011, when the World Economic Forum on Europe and Central Asia took place in Vienna. During that time, crossing the Czech-Austrian border was only allowed at former border crossing points and touristic paths, with random checks at border crossing points of regional/local importance.

Germany's border checks include Poland, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, and Austria

The implementation of these border checks was not without its challenges. Long queues formed at some border crossings, causing disruptions to commuters and trade transport. However, the German government emphasized that they were working closely with neighboring countries to minimize the impact on legitimate travelers and commerce. The effectiveness of these measures was highlighted by Faeser, who reported a significant decrease in unauthorized entries and the arrest of hundreds of smugglers.

The border checks were initially extended beyond the 10-day period and continued into 2024. In December 2023, the German Ministry of the Interior announced that the controls on its borders with Poland, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland would be extended until mid-March 2024. This decision was made to further combat smuggling and limit irregular migration. The European law provides for a step-by-step approach, allowing the Federal Police to continue deploying a range of border police measures.

The border checks with Austria were also continued, with the notification to the European Commission valid for six months from November 2023. The German government emphasized their commitment to reverting to a situation where internal Schengen border checks were not required and highlighted the importance of finalizing the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) to ensure comprehensive protection of the EU's external borders. The border checks were conducted in close coordination with neighboring countries, with joint patrols and police cooperation centers in place to ensure effective and efficient security management.

The decision to implement and extend border checks was influenced by the increasing number of asylum seekers and migrants entering Germany. In the first eight months of 2023, Germany received 204,000 asylum requests, a 77% increase from the previous year. The Western Balkan route, which includes countries like Serbia and Hungary, is one of the main migratory paths into Europe, contributing to the influx of migrants into Germany. These border checks were part of a broader effort to manage migration and ensure the safety and security of both migrants and host communities.

Checks have been extended multiple times, most recently until May 11, 2025

Border controls between Germany and Austria have been in place since 2016, with checks extended every six months. The controls were introduced to combat human smuggling and restrict irregular migration. The most recent extension of these checks was announced in September 2024, when the German Ministry of the Interior notified the European Commission about the extension of temporary checks along its internal land borders with Poland, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, and Austria. These checks were set to remain in place until May 11, 2025.

The decision to extend the border controls was made by Germany's Federal Minister of the Interior, Nancy Faeser, who cited the continuous high volume of migrants reaching the European Union through irregular means as the reason for the extension. In a letter to the European Commission, Minister Faeser expressed concern over the peak in irregular migration detected at the EU's external borders in 2022, which was the highest it had been since 2016, according to data from the EU's border agency, Frontex. The letter also highlighted that Germany had once again been the main destination country in Europe for asylum seekers in 2022, which had caused difficulties for authorities due to a lack of accommodation.

The extension of border checks was also accompanied by other measures. The German Federal Police were given a range of static and mobile border policing measures to choose from, depending on the situation at hand. These measures included flexible, targeted checks and random checks throughout the border regions, as well as joint patrols with Polish and Czech border police on their respective territories. Additionally, Germany and Switzerland decided to expand their measures based on their joint action plan.

The impact of these border checks on cross-border traffic was recognised, and efforts were made to minimise disruptions. Despite this, long queues and traffic congestion were observed at certain border crossings, such as the A17 motorway at the Breitenau-Krasny Les border crossing near Dresden, Germany, shortly after the physical checks began in October 2023.

The effectiveness of the border controls was evident in the numbers reported by the German Federal Police. From October 2023 to January 2024, they detected almost 23,000 unauthorised entries and made 13,000 interventions to prevent entry or terminate illegal stays. Additionally, 564 smugglers were arrested during this period, and the number of unauthorised entries dropped from around 21,000 in September 2023 to 6,700 in January 2024.

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