The Dutch government announced on Monday the implementation of additional controls at its land borders starting in early December, aiming to combat irregular migration, following a similar policy adopted by Germany in September. The Dutch Minister of Migration, Marjolein Faber, mentioned in a statement that the measure will be carried out without additional funds, and that the controls should be conducted with the least inconvenience possible for traffic.
The measure will come into effect on December 9 and will be carried out within existing capacity. The Netherlands has several land border crossings with Germany and Belgium. According to European Union rules, countries must notify Brussels four weeks in advance before restricting freedom of movement. Faber, a representative of the far-right party in the cabinet, has expressed her desire to address irregular migration and human trafficking concretely.
Germany began similar border controls last month in response to extremist attacks, being part of the Schengen area, which includes most EU member states. The EU allows states to temporarily reintroduce border controls in cases of serious threats to internal security, although they must be a last resort and have a limited duration. Currently, the police in the Netherlands carry out random checks, and Wilders, leader of an anti-immigration party, has publicly supported the border control measure.
