The German Interior Minister, Horst Seehofer has initiated the procedures for the extension of internal border checks with Austria for another six months, just as he warned earlier in August when he said he would “do everything possible to push for smart controls at the borders.”

The Spokesperson of the German Interior Ministry Steve Alter said on September 25, Wednesday, that Germany would extend the borders from November 11, when they were set to expire, and on, for 6 more months.

This is the tenth time that the German authorities have extended land border checks with Austria, due to the influx of illegal migrants. Since 2015, Germany has introduced and then continuously extended these border checks mainly due to the big influx of persons seeking international protection and continuous secondary movements.

Only at the beginning of this week, the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) agreed to start talks with the ministers of the European Union, on the revision of time limits and conditions for the introduction of temporary internal border checks within the Schengen Area.

The proposed amendments, among others, shortens the initial period for border checks for foreseeable events to two months, instead of six, as it is now. In addition, it asserts that internal border reintroduction should be decided as a measure of last resort.

Germany has introduced border checks with Austria since 2015 under the following reasons: