Retailers in Kehl express concerns over competitive disadvantages due to heightened customs checks at the border
Border Control Delays Cause Concern Between Kehl and Strasbourg
Intensified border checks between Kehl, Germany, and Strasbourg, France, have been causing significant disruption since September 2023. As a result, local traders and Kehl's Mayor, Wolfram Britz, have called for a reduction in the level of border controls to alleviate the inconvenience.
The increased border controls, which aim to curb illegal migration, have resulted in traffic jams and delays of up to 30 minutes for commuters. This has put a strain on workers who need to cross the border for work or shopping, as well as local businesses.
Kehl's Mayor, Wolfram Britz, has written an open letter to Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz, joining forces with his counterpart from Strasbourg. They argue that the current level of border checks is causing significant disadvantages for local businesses, particularly those that rely on customers from Strasbourg.
One such affected business is a tobacco shop run by Claus Nückles, the owner and chairman of the City Forum Kehl. Mr. Nückles points out that as a small town, Kehl relies heavily on customers from further afield, and the stricter border controls have made it more difficult for people to travel.
Meanwhile, Carinne Koehl, a Strasbourg resident who commutes to Kehl daily, says she now faces additional travel times of 20 to 35 minutes each way due to the border crossings.
Baden-Württemberg's Minister of Justice, Marion Gentges, has expressed understanding for the frustration in Kehl but defends the stricter border controls as necessary to limit irregular migration. She states that the measures send a signal that the government is taking action, and that asylum seekers will know that illegal border crossing into Germany is not easy.
Currently, there is no information available on the number of people turned back due to the intensified border controls, and it is unclear how long these checks will continue in their current form. Mayor Britz has expressed a desire for better coordination with the people affected and invited Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz to engage in dialogue to achieve improvements in European cooperation.
- The heightened border controls in Kehl, aiming to deter illegal migration, have also negatively impacted local retail businesses that rely on customers from Strasbourg, according to Kehl's Mayor, Wolfram Britz.
2.In the finance sector, Baden-Württemberg's Minister of Justice, Marion Gentges, defends the stricter border controls, arguing that it sends a message to asylum-seekers and discourages illegal border crossing, thus potentially impacting the general-news narrative on migration and politics.
3.Local traders and businesses in both Kehl and Strasbourg, particularly those in the retail industry, have called for a reduction in the level of border controls to alleviate the disruption caused by the delays, affecting their livelihood and financial stability.
