Germany’s new coalition government has vowed to keep border checks with Luxembourg, despite pushback from Luxembourg’s leaders. They believed that the checks cause problems and go against the idea of open borders in the Schengen Area. 

Luxembourg’s Interior Minister, Léon Gloden, called the controls “ineffective” and “harmful,” and warned that they could hurt commuters and cooperation between the two countries.

German coalition vows to continue border checks

Germany’s new coalition government—made up of the CDU, CSU, and SPD—has confirmed that it will keep the border checks that began in September 2024.

In their coalition deal, the government said, “Border controls at all German borders must be continued,” and explained that the checks will stay in place until the European Union strengthens its outer borders.

These checks started as a temporary move to deal with rising illegal migration and border-related crime, but they have been extended several times. 

Although German officials first said that the checks would not last long, the new government has not shown any plans to lift them.

Officials said that the goal is to support Frontex, the EU’s border agency, and to make deportations more effective by keeping the controls in place.

Luxembourg slams Berlin’s justification

Golden strongly criticized the ongoing border checks, calling them “mostly tokenism.” 

In an interview with Euractiv, he said, “The German government’s narrative that checks cause no disruption and tighten security is false.” 

He believes that the checks do not stop migration and instead weaken the Schengen Zone, which is meant to promote free movement across Europe.

Economic and social friction rises

Cross-border life between Germany and Luxembourg has long reflected Europe’s commitment to open borders. For years, the two countries worked together to allow easy travel, trade, and shared jobs.

Now, critics warned that the border checks are damaging that relationship.

The tension is also changing shopping habits.

Many people from Luxembourg used to visit nearby German towns to shop or use services, but now they are rethinking those trips. Businesses in German border areas could soon lose customers.

Gloden noted that Berlin’s decision is causing economic problems on both sides and called the checks “harmful for both countries.”

EU caught in the middle

Luxembourg has filed a formal complaint with the European Commission, but Prime Minister Luc Frieden said that taking the issue to the European Court of Justice is “not the right answer.”

The opposition party LSAP disagreed and wanted to take stronger legal action against Germany for repeatedly extending the checks.

EU rules allow short-term border checks in special situations, but critics argue that Germany has stretched those limits by keeping them in place for a year.

Germany stands firm amid criticism

Despite criticism, German officials are standing by the border checks. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser claimed that the checks have worked and will stay in place until September 15th, 2025.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz supported this decision, confirming the six-month extension in February. “We have again ordered temporary controls at all German borders for six months and notified the European Commission,” he said.

Germany’s Federal Police reported a rise in unauthorized border crossings since the checks began, which supports the government’s case for keeping them. 

Still, Gloden argued that the controls are neither practical nor long-term solutions, especially when they cause problems for regular commuters and strain relations between the countries.

Commuters face delays, travelers face uncertainty

Germany’s choice to keep border checks with Luxembourg affects more than just daily commuters. It also makes travel harder for both short- and long-term visitors, especially as the EU prepares to launch the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) by 2026.

ETIAS will screen travelers who do not need a visa before they enter the EU, aiming to strengthen the EU’s external borders. However, Germany’s move suggests that even travel within Europe is now facing tighter controls.

For tourists and short-term visitors, trips that once felt easy and open now involve traffic delays, document checks, and longer wait times. This has made simple cross-border visits less attractive.

The impact is even greater for long-term migrants and workers who cross the border every day. Around 225,000 people travel to Luxembourg from Germany daily, many working in key fields like healthcare and finance.

Delays at the border do not just affect their daily routines—they also disrupt sectors that are vital to Luxembourg’s economy. 

As the EU moves ahead with ETIAS and considers changes to visa rules, Germany’s stance shows a shift toward more checks inside the EU, not just at its edges.

National borders gain strength as EU border unity falters

Germany’s decision to extend border checks points to a wider shift in the EU: countries are focusing more on national control than on shared border policies.

The Schengen Zone—meant to support free movement across Europe—is under pressure as more governments act on their own to monitor internal borders. Germany’s actions show a clear move from open travel toward stricter checks linked to migration control.

The German coalition agreement also calls for more power to turn away asylum seekers at shared borders, especially in coordination with neighboring countries. This creates a challenge for EU leaders.

Germany claimed that the checks are about safety and migration control, but smaller countries like Luxembourg see them as disruptive and mostly symbolic. 

The opposition party LSAP in Luxembourg has even called for legal steps, arguing that Germany’s ongoing extensions go against the spirit—if not the exact rules—of the Schengen agreement.

This growing divide could push the EU to rethink how it balances national interests with joint responsibilities. 

If more countries copy Germany’s approach, the goal of a borderless Europe may give way to a patchwork of national checkpoints driven by domestic politics.

Cross-border friction with no end in sight

Germany is sticking to its border checks, even as Luxembourg strongly objects, deepening the divide between national security and regional cooperation. 

Berlin said the checks are needed to control irregular migration, while Luxembourg sees them as mostly symbolic and damaging.

Daily commuters are feeling the impact, highlighting the real-life costs of political decisions. The Schengen goal of open borders is under pressure—and may not recover. 

It is unclear whether the next step will be compromise or conflict, but the issue is becoming harder to ignore.