Is Schengen Coming to an End?
- Nejla Kılınç
- Jul 10
- 2 min read
The Schengen Area, a cornerstone of the European Union’s principle of free movement, is facing serious strain after Poland reinstated border checks with neighboring EU countries.
Poland Reinstates Border Controls
In response to rising public concern over irregular migration, and following similar moves by the Netherlands and Belgium, Poland has initiated border checks at crossings with:
Germany (52 border points)
Lithuania (13 border points)
On the first day of implementation:
800 border guards
300 police officers
200 gendarmes
500 volunteerswere deployed to monitor traffic and verify documents.
The controls are planned to last until August 5.
Polish PM Donald Tusk:
“We are doing this for the Germans, the Dutch, the French. We are the EU’s border.”
Tusk also emphasized that no one crossing the border illegally or with incomplete documents will be sent back to Poland from other EU countries, particularly Germany.
Germany’s Response
A spokesperson for German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated:
“Protecting borders from irregular migration is a shared interest. But we do not want permanent border controls.”
Germany had already begun randomized controls along its border with Poland in 2023, but the new Merz government has opted for more systematic checks.
Is This the Beginning of the End for Schengen?
International media, including The Guardian, have described Poland’s decision as:
“The latest blow to the Schengen system… perhaps the beginning of the end.”
The rise of far-right politics and the surge in migration have brought the 1985 Schengen Agreement — implemented in 1990 — under serious pressure.
What was once a symbol of European unity and openness is now increasingly fragmented by national security concerns.
Context:
Schengen allows passport-free travel across 27 European countries.
It has been temporarily suspended before during crises (e.g., terrorism, COVID-19).
But a pattern of recurring controls could erode trust and functionality within the EU.
Source: The Guardian / Hürriyet
