The German government's plan to expand border controls is unlikely to lead to a visible decrease in the number of asylum seekers, a researcher in the field of migration said yesterday, DPA reported, quoted by BTA.
„Anyone who expects that border controls will lead to a reduction in illegal migration is raising expectations that are unfulfillable,” researcher Gerald Knaus said in an interview with the radio station “Deutschlandfunk” (Deutschlandfunk).
Germany is part of the Schengen area, which allows around 420 million people in 29 European countries to travel freely without facing border controls.
But checks are already in place at some of Germany's nine borders, including with Poland, and will be extended to Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark on Monday.
Knaus said that many EU countries, including France and Austria, have had border controls in place for years, but that this "has not reduced the number of asylum applications at all".
The expert also said that border controls are not a means of preventing Islamic terrorism, as many of the perpetrators have become radicalized after coming to Germany.
Stopping illegal migration would only be possible with radical measures such as a complete end to the free movement of travel and goods between members of the Schengen area, Knaus said.
„If the idea is really to stop all illegal migration at the German borders, this can only become permanent with the end of Schengen. For this you will also need fences on the green border.“
Knaus also has little hope of speeding up the deportation of migrants who have already arrived and are registered in another EU country, as planned by the German government.
Under EU migration rules, asylum applications must be made in the country where the migrant first enters the bloc.
„If a country like Italy says it won't take anyone and the European Commission doesn't open an infringement procedure, then other countries will see that too,”, he said. “I fear that the whole approach to preventing illegal migration within the EU and stopping secondary movement will fail. It has always failed so far.“
An EU-wide approach is needed, Knaus said. “We need to reduce illegal migration in the EU and we need a discussion about this, says Knaus.