Monday, 22 June 2009

Short remark: Border controls

Last week I was passing the Dutch-German border by train. At the border station, the German Federal Police went through the train and selectively controlled passengers' IDs, asking where they were heading to.

I wasn't controlled, and felt guilty towards those who were...

Border controls within the EU make me angry!

(What is so difficult at the concept of NOT having borders - not making them felt - within the European Union, and the Schengen area in particular?!)


André said...

maybe the fact that illegal immigration into the EU is growing? The same thing happened to me several times at the same border. But then, I doubt they were as dangerous as they seemed: When checking tourists from Korea, the Dutch police seriously demanded whether they had come from the North or from the South

filip said...

This sounds like it has to do with drugs. What else is the point of asking people where they are going or whether they are from North or South Korea? I think they want to check whether people are high and then check those if they are carrying drugs. Which is of course ridiculous.

But then it has to do with drug laws not being harmonized - the Dutch border is a natural place for German police to do the checks.