German police: minimal traffic disruption at border controls

German police have clarified what passport controls at the borders will look like from Monday. The Bundespolizei says that random checks will be carried out in North Rhine-Westphalia, one of the two states bordering the Netherlands, to disrupt traffic as little as possible.

The police emphasize that they are aware of the proportionality of the actions. "These are definitely not complete checks on all cross-border passenger and freight traffic. Any disruption must be kept to a minimum."

The police report states that the checks will begin promptly at midnight and will take place not only at the border but also in the area around it. "In the border area up to 30 kilometers, we will carry out random surveillance and control measures at varying locations and temporarily."

Authorities are urging travelers to keep their passports or ID cards at hand to ensure that checks run as smoothly as possible. This also applies to train passengers and people traveling to Germany on foot or by bike.

German media previously reported that Lower Saxony, which borders Groningen, Drenthe, and Overijssel, wants to carry out checks at the A7, the A37, and the A1. Incidental checks would also be carried out at other border crossings.