Border controls carried out in the area between Germany and Luxembourg have been ruled illegal by the court in Koblenz. The verdict was handed down in favour of a man who brought a case against the German state after being stopped between Schengen and Perl in June of last year. The man, who commutes regularly between Germany and Luxembourg, argued in his complaint that he had already been checked on multiple occasions and that, given his regular route, he can only expect to be stopped more frequently in the future.
The court found that the controls were not in accordance with the Schengen Borders Code, under which such checks are only permitted where public order or internal security is genuinely threatened. Germany had, in the court’s view, failed to meet the criteria required under the Schengen Agreement for the implementation of permanent border controls, at least for the period between 16 March and 15 September 2025. Those criteria include providing a proper justification for the controls and informing neighbouring countries and European partners in sufficient detail.
The German state retains the right to appeal the ruling.
