Germany has begun turning back asylum seekers at its borders, allowing entry only for vulnerable groups such as pregnant women and children. The new policy, introduced by Berlin, has sparked strong reactions in Luxembourg, where it is viewed as undermining the very principles of European unity.
The sentiment is especially pronounced in Schengen, the symbolic birthplace of Europe’s border-free travel zone, where the Schengen Agreement was signed exactly 40 years ago. On Wednesday, the mayors of Schengen and he German town of Perl – Michel Gloden and Ralph Uhlenbruch – met to express their shared concerns over the reintroduced controls.
Every day, around 2,000 workers cross from Perl into Luxembourg. Now, they are regularly caught in traffic jams caused by increased checks. Perl’s mayor, a CDU politician, criticised the policy not only for disrupting daily life but also for what it represents: “It’s not just about being stuck in traffic. This undermines what Schengen stands for. It questions the symbol itself”, he said.
His counterpart in Schengen echoed this concern, pointing out the growing frustration among residents in the tri-border region: “People were used to crossing without any checks, and now they’re facing something entirely different... with controls on the motorway or now even on the bridge. People are very unhappy.”
Read also: New study maps cross-border commutes and calls for smarter planning
Since mid-September 2024, Germany’s Federal Police have turned away 579 individuals at the Luxembourg border. Reasons cited include missing visas, expired residence permits, or active entry bans. Among those rejected were four Afghan asylum seekers, denied entry since 7 May.
Stefan Döhn, spokesperson for the Bundespolizei in Trier, explained that German authorities notify their Luxembourg counterparts when a person is turned back. However, if no officers are present at key locations, such as at the Waasserbilleg bridge, those individuals are simply sent back into Luxembourg on foot.
In response to media inquiries, Luxembourg’s police clarified that they do not keep statistics on those turned away at the border by Germany. Officers act under guidelines from the Home Affaris Ministry, only intervening if the individual in question poses a criminal risk.
In such cases, checks are conducted to identify any active legal or judicial alerts. The German Ministry has confirmed this policy and set up a dedicated contact email for concerns: grenzkontrollen@gouvernement.lu.
Luxembourg has repeatedly voiced opposition to Germany’s border controls. In mid-February, the government submitted a formal complaint to the European Commission, arguing that permanent checks at internal borders contravene Schengen rules and broader EU law.
Minister for Home Affairs Léon Gloden stated plainly that Germany is violating European legislation.
Despite the growing tensions, local leaders are striving for dialogue and cooperation. The mayor of Schengen noted that he has not yet observed any rejected individuals returning on foot into Schengen but confirmed that the situation is being closely monitored.
A joint communication effort with fellow mayors from Germany and France is planned. For those leaders, the Schengen agreement is not dead just yet.
