• JEF Europe warns of the dangers that the German government’s latest measure on restricting Schengen mobility implies, including the inherent endorsement of far-right discourse and the danger of a spillover effect.

• Nationalist-solutions to transnational issues have no place in today’s Europe and the German government must rectify by raising issues related to border and migration policy in the adequate EU institutional frameworks.

• The Young European Federalists remain committed to the defence of Schengen as one of the greatest achievements of European integration and cornerstone of a future Federal Europe.

 

JEF Europe is appalled by the announcement of the German government to impose so-called “temporary” controls in all of Germany’s borders.

As Young European Federalists, we consider this measure to be a frontal attack on one of the cornerstones of European integration: the Schengen Agreement and the freedom of movement within the EU.

While claimed to be temporary, controls like the ones implemented by the German government last week often end up becoming permanent ones. The cases of the Danish border with Germany, the Austrian land borders with Slovakia and Hungary, or the French land borders with the rest of the Schengen Area exemplify the level of abuse by Member States of the formula the Schengen Code provides for the temporary implementation of internal checks and which the European Court of Justice deemed unlawful in a 2022 ruling.

“The so-called ‘temporary’ controls in intra-Schengen borders end up, more often than not, becoming a quasi-permanent element. The time for nationally-minded approaches to topics such as border policy is long gone”, declared Xesc Mainzer, Vice President of JEF Europe.

The timing of this measure, announced and implemented mere days after the far right’s largest win in a German state election since the 1930s and just weeks before another state election, displays its electoralist mindset. However, precisely this adoption of the anti-European far-right’s proposals does nothing but validate their racist and discriminatory discourse as acceptable while, in the meantime, undermining European unity under the pretext of a purported new migratory crisis. 

Reestablishing borders has a direct impact on the daily lives of the European population that enjoy a borderless area to work, live, shop and build meaningful ties across countries. Moreover, as time has shown us again and again, transnational topics such as migration require a European approach, not a return to national(ist)-minded “solutions”. This case also poses a clear and present danger of spilling over to other Member States who might feel emboldened to take similar steps, not only on Schengen policy but in other areas as, for example, the Dutch government has already announced its intention to obtain an opt-out in common migration and asylum policy.

JEF Europe, while fully standing behind the open letter of September 16 by JEF Germany and its regional sections , demands the German government to prove their commitment to a federal Europe, as inscribed in their coalition agreement , by taking the following measures:

• Immediately suspend border checks in Germany’s land, sea, and air borders with Schengen Area members;
• Bring further concerns with migration policy and flows to the Council of the EU so that European matters can be tackled with European solutions;
• Advocate for a stronger coordination of asylum, welfare, and border policies;
• Propose the creation of a European federal border police corps.

At the beginning of the current mandate in JEF Europe, Schengen and freedom of movement were set as one of the priority areas of work. This situation at the German borders proves that, as we expected, the fight to preserve the Schengen Area and the freedoms it entails are more relevant than ever. In light of this, we will be soon renewing our commitment with Schengen by launching a renewed campaign.

About JEF Europe

The Young European Federalists (JEF Europe) is a political youth NGO advocating for the creation of a democratic European federation as a guarantee for peace, the rule of law and human rights. JEF Europe promotes true European citizenship, works for the widening and deepening of the European Union and strives for a more just and integrated society on the European continent. Established in 1972, the organisation has more than 10,000 activists organised in over 250 national, regional and local sections in 37 countries.

Read more:

• • RESOLUTION: Strengthening and Safeguarding Free Movement within the European Union and the Future of Schengen

• DON’T TOUCH MY SCHENGEN

 

Contact information:

Xesc Mainzer, Vice president

Young European Federalists
Rue des Deux Églises 14
1000 Brussels

xesc.mainzer@jef.eu

 

Resources:

1. Offene Grenzen statt Schlagbäume. https://www.jef.de/offene-grenzen-statt-schlagbaeume/

2. Dare more progress. Alliance for Freedom, Justice and Sustainability. Coalition Agreement 2021 – 2025 between the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), Alliance 90/The Greens and the Free Democrats (FDP), p. 124. https://italia.fes.de/fileadmin/user_upload/German_Coalition_Treaty_2021-2025.pdf