Border checks are being conducted once more in Germany.
If you're planning on traveling to neighboring countries in the next few weeks, make sure to consider the necessary documents for your journey. From today until mid-July, border checks could be implemented again due to the European Football Championship.
Effective immediately, the Federal Police will conduct temporary border checks at all German borders thanks to the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament. This will also apply at borders with Denmark, France, and the Benelux countries, which have not had any controls before. Additionally, travelers from the Schengen area may undergo checks in air travel, railways, and ports. These checks are expected to be "location-dependent and flexible."
The Federal Interior Minister, Nancy Faeser (SPD), declared that security is the number one priority during the European Football Championship. She stated, "We're prepared for every possible danger with the complete commitment of the security authorities." The concerns range anywhere from Islamic terrorism to hooligans to cyber attacks. The "flexible and temporary controls" are designed to "minimally affect" your travel and commute, said the ministry. Their focus will be on conducting necessary checks for security reasons.
Temporary border checks on all German Schengen internal borders are registered on a pan-European level until July 19, 2024. The final match of the tournament is scheduled for July 14, which takes place in Berlin. So, remember to have your valid travel documents handy when crossing the border during this time frame.
Border controls have been mandated at several points since last October. They've been extended multiple times. Currently, assistance will be given at the German borders with Poland, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland until mid-December. Meanwhile, initial border controls at the German-Austrian border will last until mid-November.
