Schengen Dream under Siege

Last month, as Poland and Germany engaged in a tit-for-tat border dispute, Europe's cherished passport-free travel zone faced its gravest existential crisis. The European Union's crown jewel, the Schengen Area that allows 450 million people to move freely across 29 countries without passport checks, is crumbling under political pressure. What began as Europe's most tangible symbol of integration is now becoming a casualty of rising far-right nationalism and populist politics that demand visible action on migration, even if ineffective. More than a month ago, Poland introduced border controls with Germany and Lithuania, marking yet another domino falling in what could be the systematic dismantling of Europe's borderless dream. For Indian observers familiar with our own complex federal dynamics and border management challenges, the EU's current predicament offers sobering lessons about how domestic political pressures can override larger integration projects and neighbourhood relationships.

The Domino Effect

The Polish move wasn't isolated. It came as retaliation after Germany began turning away asylum seekers at the Polish border. France has maintained border checks almost continuously since 2015, initially justified by terrorist threats but now indefinitely extended. Austria, Denmark, and Sweden have operated under similar "temporary" exceptions for years. What was meant to be exceptional has become routine, and what was meant to be temporary has become permanent. As Professor Birte Nienaber from the University of Luxembourg notes, Europe is witnessing a slow erosion of border-free movement, one frontier at a time.

Political Theatre over Practical Solutions

The most damaging aspect of these border controls is their ineffectiveness. German police statistics reveal that in the first month of enhanced border operations, merely 160 asylum seekers were turned away. Polish media reports suggest Germany returned around 1,000 migrants to Poland between May and mid-June, numbers that hardly justify dismantling a cornerstone of European integration. "These border controls are purely political symbolism, without a real effect of curbing migration," explains Nienaber. "Smugglers or those trying to enter irregularly know exactly how to avoid official checkpoints. The controls don't stop them. They only create the illusion of control." This resonates with India's own experience with border management. Despite extensive fencing and monitoring along the India-Pakistan and India-Bangladesh borders, irregular movement continues through unofficial channels.

The Far-Right's Winning Formula

The driving force behind these developments is the rising influence of far-right parties across Europe. Germany's Alternative for Germany (AfD), Poland's Law and Justice (PiS), and similar movements across the continent have successfully reframed migration as an existential threat requiring immediate, visible action. Centrist leaders like Poland's Donald Tusk and Germany's Friedrich Merz find themselves trapped between their pro-European instincts and domestic political survival. Tusk, despite being a former European Council President and staunch EU advocate, was forced to impose border controls after facing criticism from nationalist opponents and pressure from far-right protests at border crossings. This political dynamic mirrors challenges faced by moderate leaders worldwide, including in India.

Economic Costs Can Mount

The economic implications are staggering. A European Parliament study estimates that reinstating internal border checks costs the transport sector alone around EURO 320 million annually, accounting only for delays, not broader economic disruption. Wait times of 10-20 minutes for cars and 30-60 minutes for trucks create ripple effects throughout supply chains. The contrast with Romania and Bulgaria's recent Schengen accession illustrates the benefits of integration. Traffic between these countries rose 25 per cent in just three months after joining, while average wait times dropped from over 10 hours to less than two.

Indian Perspective

For India, the EU's border crisis offers several lessons. First, economic integration without political consensus remains fragile. Second, the visual aspects of sovereignty, like border controls, often matter more in domestic politics than their actual effectiveness. Third, moderate leaders would face difficulty ignoring populist pressure, even when that pressure demands counterproductive policies.

Looking Ahead

Priority needs to be set in between recommitting to Schengen principles or watch its most visible integration achievement crumble. The Commission is developing digital tools like the Entry/Exit System and ETIAS to reduce perceived migration pressures, but these technical solutions may be insufficient against political headwinds. As migration expert Davide Colombi notes, saving Schengen requires "political courage, rebuilding mutual trust between member states." Most critically, migration must be depoliticised, shifting public debate away from ineffective symbolic measures toward evidence-based policies.

The stakes extend beyond Europe. If the EU, noted to be one of the world's most successful integration projects, cannot maintain free movement among democratic allies, it raises questions about the viability of regional integration anywhere. For a world grappling with climate migration, economic displacement, and the need for greater cooperation, Europe's retreat from its borderless dream would represent a significant step backward. As Poland and Germany continue their border standoff, they risk destroying something that took decades to build. The question is whether European leaders will find the political courage to save Schengen before it's too late, or whether the far-right's demand for visible borders will triumph over the practical benefits of invisible ones.

The writer is a German Chancellor Fellow with the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and writes on the Global South, geopolitics, and the digital-policy landscape. Views expressed are personal