Six more months of checks at the German-Austrian border
The German Minister of Internal Affairs Thomas de Maizière (CDU) has extended the checks at Germany’s internal borders for another six months. The special arrangement based on the Schengen Agreement would have expired on 11 November. According to a press release, only the German-Austrian land border as well as flights from Greece to Germany are affected.
“Germany and other EU Member States have experienced dramatic terrorist attacks. The security in the European area is still endangered. There are still deficits in the protection of the EU’s external borders as well as a significant amount of illegal migration within the Schengen area,” Thomas de Maizière, explains the reasons for the extended period of border checks.
The decision was made in close consultation with the Ministries of Internal Affaires in Austria, Denmark, Sweden and Norway. The European Commission, the Council of the European Union, the President of the European Parliament, as well as the Ministers of the EU / Schengen States, received a notification letter on 11 October.