Federal Minister of the Interior Horst Seehofer has decided to continue checks at the internal borders with Austria, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Denmark, Italy and Spain for another 20 days until 4 May 2020. This move is intended to break the chains of infection and continue successfully containing the coronavirus.

Checks at the land borders with Austria, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg and Denmark were temporarily reintroduced effective 16 March 2020 on the basis of Article 28 of the Schengen Borders Code. Checks of passengers arriving by air from these countries and from Italy and Spain and of passengers arriving by sea from Denmark were reintroduced on 19 March 2020. Originally in effect until 26 March 2020, the checks were then extended for another 20 days, until 14 April.

Federal Minister Seehofer notified the European Commission and the interior ministers of the EU member states accordingly, adding that he welcomed the Commission’s recommendation to extend restrictions on entry from non-EU countries. Germany, like other European countries, will apply these entry restrictions, initially until 15 May 2020.

Federal Minister Seehofer also informed the European Commission that he has ordered the temporary checks at the German–Austrian land border to continue for another six months, starting 12 May 2020, for migration and security policy reasons and based on Articles 25 to 27 of the Schengen Borders Code. The checks are still needed due to the situation along the border between Greece and Turkey, which remains highly volatile, and to the continuing potential for illegal migration along the Balkan route.