Threatening Germany over border checks
Schengen – the deal that lets Europeans travel freely – was signed in a tiny Luxembourgish village in 1985. 40 years later, Luxembourg calls out Germany for going against its spirit. If Berlin keeps its border checks in place beyond April, the Luxembourgish government threatens to take the case to the European Commission. They argue the controls are ineffective and violate Schengen rules, pushing for stronger EU external border controls to curb irregular immigration instead.
Germany brought back border checks in September, citing security reasons. But for Luxembourg, this isn't just a minor inconvenience – it's hitting the economy hard: as a transit hub in Europe, the country highly depends on open borders. 44% of its workforce are cross-border workers, commuting daily from France, Belgium, and Germany. Some have seen their travel time jump by one to two hours.
Not only Germany but also the Netherlands and France have recently stepped up border controls. Austria, Denmark, Italy, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden, and Bulgaria also currently enforce border checks. Luxembourg's push for open borders may be driven more by self-interest than pure principle, but in an era where physical barriers and checkpoints are becoming the norm, it's a rare and welcome voice.