Juncker calls for end to border checks in EU

Former European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker, who was also prime minister of Luxembourg for almost two decades, has criticized the reintroduction of border checks in Germany and other European Union states.

"I would like this to stop," he told dpa. "Anyone who thinks they can apprehend refugees in droves and other people with arrest warrants at official border points is mistaken."

He argued that smugglers are doing everything possible to avoid official police checks. This is especially true for the region around Luxembourg, where there is a lot of traffic over the borders with Germany, France and Belgium.

Juncker expressed his concern, saying: "It bothers me that it seems to become such a normal thing to reintroduce border checks. And I don't want to get used to it."

Germany reintroduced checks at all German borders on September 16, justifying this with the limitation of "irregular migration" and the protection of internal security. Other EU states are also controlling their borders again.

The Schengen Agreement on unrestricted border crossings, the 40th anniversary of which is to be celebrated next year, permits border checks only exceptionally in the event of a "serious threat to public order or internal security" for an initial six months.

"A huge fuss"

Juncker stated that if Germany is now also considering making such checks permanent, "then it is not good for the sense of belonging of people in the Greater Region [of SaarLorLux]."

He added, "In that respect, I would be grateful if they would stop."

The Greater Region of SaarLorLux includes 11 regional authorities and stretches across four European states.

He welcomed the fact that the Luxembourg parliament had called on the government of the Grand Duchy to intervene with current European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

"I fully support this parliamentary resolution," Juncker said.

According to the German Federal Police, there were 135 illegal entries from Luxembourg in October, with 80 refusals. However, the Luxembourg figures are lower.

Juncker pointed out that this "is a huge fuss, which means a lot of hassle for working people," noting that around 220,000 commuters cross the border daily.

"People are used to being able to move freely in the border area as if on their own territory," said Juncker, who was prime minister of Luxembourg from 1995 to 2013.

Request for legal review

Juncker criticized the idea that if the German Federal Police are "armed to the teeth" and conduct border checks even on the Schengen Bridge over the Moselle, "this does not demonstrate particular ingenuity and nor does it show sensitivity in dealing with people in the border region."

The recently passed resolution by the Luxembourg parliament against the reintroduction of temporary border checks also includes a request to the Luxembourg government to examine the possibilities of a legal challenge.