Netherlands to Reintroduce Internal Border Controls

Starting December 9, the Netherlands will reintroduce controls on its land borders and select flights from other Schengen countries, marking a shift in its approach to managing migration.

This decision, announced by Migration Minister Marjolein Faber, aligns with similar actions taken its neighbour Germany.

The Dutch government states that these controls, lasting six months, are a necessary step in addressing irregular migration and combating migrant smuggling. Under EU regulations, member states can temporarily reinstate border checks at internal borders in cases of significant security threats. While Faber did not provide specific details on the control measures, she emphasised that existing police resources would be used, with minimal disruption to daily cross-border traffic.

Faber expressed the new policy’s intent:

“It is time to tackle irregular migration and migrant smuggling in a concrete way. That is why we will start reintroducing border controls in the Netherlands from the beginning of December.”

This policy follows the PVV’s long standing stance on tighter borders, with Wilders himself celebrating the move as a fulfilment of his party’s commitments.

The controls come amid heightened anti-immigration sentiment in Europe, where several countries have recently bolstered their border enforcement in response to security concerns. Germany, a Schengen member like the Netherlands, began implementing similar border checks with neighbouring countries last month after a series of extremist attacks.

Although the Schengen Area allows for free movement across most of the EU and some neighbouring countries, EU law does permit temporary border controls in cases of serious threats, provided they are limited in duration and used only as a last resort. By giving Brussels the required four-week notice, the Netherlands remains compliant with these regulations.

This measure is part of a larger push by the Dutch government, which earlier this year sought to reduce its participation in the EU’s refugee obligations.

Brussels and other EU member states were notified of the decision to comply with the required four-week notice period before implementing border controls. Airport inspections will target only high-risk flights to limit impacts on routine travel and trade.

With Faber representing Wilders’ party in the Cabinet, the policy highlights the coalition’s commitment to stricter immigration controls.

The Netherlands shares land borders with Germany to the east and Belgium to the south.

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