The Schengen Area, once a symbol of freedom and trust in Europe, no longer functions as originally intended. More member states are reintroducing border controls, citing security concerns and migration pressure. Currently, 11 of the 29 countries in the area have reinstated border controls, with most maintaining them for extended periods. According to the Schengen Borders Code, countries can temporarily reintroduce emergency controls, which were initially meant to be an exceptional measure activated only in justified, short-term situations. However, Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, and Italy now utilize this option almost continuously, frequently updating their justifications: the threats of illegal migration, cross-border crime, internal security, and even sporting events. While the European Commission can only be notified by member states of these actions, it lacks effective and practical tools to counteract them. Consequently, border controls have become a permanent fixture in the European political landscape—what was meant to unify is now driving division. One of the crowning achievements of European integration is essentially being undermined.

Simultaneously, member states apply different procedures for returning migrants—some formal (e.g., under the Dublin III Regulation) and others simplified and based on police discretion, often bypassing full administrative procedures. In recent months, Germany has stepped up its actions against individuals crossing the border from Poland. Foreigners are often returned immediately after being detained, typically without the opportunity to apply for asylum. German authorities view this as a success, citing decreased asylum applications and greater control over migration flows. Critics argue this approach effectively outsources responsibility to neighboring countries, primarily Poland.

The lack of a clear government response in Poland has intensified social tensions. Grassroots groups of residents and activists, known as social patrols, have started forming on the western border to counteract the "transfers" of migrants from Germany. In towns like Świnoujście, Słubice, and Lubieszyn, border crossings have been blocked, police interventions have occurred, and tear gas has been used. Opposition politicians quickly seized on the issue, demanding that the border be "sealed" and that migrants be returned swiftly. While the government announced that it was in control of the situation and valued national sovereignty, it did not formally oppose the mass returns from Germany.

Only after tensions escalated did Prime Minister Donald Tusk publicly address the situation, stating he would seek immediate explanations from the German government, emphasizing that Poland cannot be the designated destination for all migrants from German territory. However, this statement came only after several weeks of media and social pressure, which many perceived as a delayed and cautious reaction.

Currently, Poland lacks a coherent migration policy, acting reactively to the actions of its neighbors. Migrants returned from Germany arrive in Poland without clear criteria, often outside established procedures, and the government has not articulated either an objection or a comprehensive strategy. A state that cannot define its interests on such a critical issue as migration risks losing its agency and becoming merely a facilitator of others' decisions. There is a noticeable absence of political assertiveness and institutional coordination. If authorities continue to avoid real responsibility, they will be overshadowed by grassroots initiatives that are increasingly emotional and unpredictable. Inaction in migration policy is a form of action that ultimately harms the state.

Source, Łukasz Wojdyga,  Director of the Center for Strategic
Studies Warsaw Enterprise Institute