German border controls on internal borders cost 140 million euros

Border controls conducted by Germany on all its internal borders, including those with other countries of the European Union and the Schengen Area, have proven to be a significant burden on public finances. Data from the Federal Ministry of the Interior, revealed in response to a parliamentary inquiry, shows that from their introduction in September 2024 until the end of December 2025, 140 million euros were spent on them. Parallel to the costs is the operational effectiveness of this policy. In the period from August 5 to December 31, 2025, German border services denied entry to the country to 14,129 people. These numbers illustrate the scale of actions taken by the Bundespolizei as part of the intensified controls, which apply to all border sections, not just the EU's external border. The free movement of persons is one of the fundamental rights of the Community acquis, established by treaties since the founding of the European Community in the 1950s. The temporary reintroduction of controls on internal borders is permissible under the Schengen Borders Code, but only in exceptional circumstances of a threat to security or public order. This policy is facing sharp criticism from the German Left Party. MP Clara Bünger, who submitted the inquiry, called the controls "kostenintensiver Symbolpolitik", meaning costly symbolic politics. The Left argues that the funds spent are urgently needed in other areas, such as education, climate protection, or social support, and demands an immediate end to the controls. The decision to introduce them was made in response to increased migration and political pressure, but after a year and a half, their effectiveness relative to the costs incurred is becoming the subject of public debate. „kostenintensiver Symbolpolitik” (costly symbolic politics) — Clara Bünger