There are no plans for joint Polish-German border controls – stated the spokesperson for the Ministry of the Interior and Administration (MSWiA). However, joint patrols are in place and will continue. The Polish Border Guard and the German Federal Police operate together on both Polish and German territory. One of their joint responsibilities is the transfer of migrants.
“I do not confirm these reports. There are no plans for joint Polish-German or Polish-Lithuanian border controls. The Border Guard, in cooperation with the Military Police, the Territorial Defence Forces (WOT), and the police, is preparing to act independently and is setting up temporary border control points on the Polish side. Naturally, the Border Guard will continue to cooperate with partner services in accordance with the Schengen Borders Code,”
wrote MSWiA spokesperson Jacek Dobrzyński on platform X.
So what does cooperation with partner services “in accordance with the Schengen Code” look like? Here’s an explanation.
Border Guard officers cooperate with the German Federal Police on Polish territory under the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Poland and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany on cooperation between police, border, and customs services from 2014.
Within the Border Guard Station in Szczecin, there is a Joint Polish-German Station based in Pomellen. It includes both Polish Border Guard officers from Szczecin and German officers from the Federal Police Inspectorate in Pasewalk.
Border controls with Germany and Lithuania will be reinstated from July 7 to August 5, according to a draft regulation from the Ministry of the Interior and Administration published on Wednesday. There will be 50 border crossings operating on the Polish-German border and 13 on the Polish-Lithuanian border.
Joint Patrols and Readmission
What does this cooperation look like in practice? We asked the Maritime Border Guard Unit, responsible for a 169-kilometer section of the land border with Germany, back in February.
“Joint patrols are carried out on both Polish and German territory. Other tasks are carried out on the German side, as the joint station is located in the Federal Police facility on the German side, in the former Kołbaskowo/Pomellen border crossing,”
said the press officer of the Commander of the Maritime Border Guard Unit.
She also shared additional joint operations conducted by Polish and German services. These include (quotes from the Border Guard):
– “Joint patrols focused on combating cross-border crime, countering illegal migration, and cooperating in preventing threats to public safety and order”;
– “Transferring or receiving individuals in accordance with the Dublin III Regulation and under readmission agreements”;
– “Coordinating the transfer of individuals subject to a European Arrest Warrant and providing necessary assistance to relevant authorities in the execution of related procedures.”
A similar situation occurs in another section of the Polish-German border. In the area under the jurisdiction of the Nadodrzański Border Guard Unit, there are currently three joint Polish-German border guard stations: in Świecko, Tuplice, and Ludwigsdorf – the latter operating within the Border Guard Station in Zgorzelec. Officers from the Nadodrzański Unit and the German police serve together at these locations, according to press services.
The operation of joint Polish-German stations enables effective patrolling of the border region by both Polish and German officers. The patrols primarily focus on countering illegal migration, combating cross-border crimes, and addressing public safety threats. These joint operations also facilitate the exchange of knowledge and experience between officers and allow for rapid information sharing during actions such as apprehending migrant smugglers or detaining individuals unlawfully residing on either side of the Polish-German border,
– the press spokesperson of the Commander of the Nadodrzański Border Guard Unit told Niezależna.pl.
In March, we asked whether Border Guard officers had ever received migrants on German territory and transported them to Poland. We also inquired about how many such cases occurred, who authorized them, and under which procedures.
“Foreigners transferred by German authorities to Poland under Dublin agreements and readmission arrangements are received by officers at designated points on both sides of the border, including joint Polish-German stations located on the German side,”
the spokesperson for the institution responded.
They Are Received on Both Sides of the Border
The Border Guard acknowledges that it receives migrants on German territory and transports them to Poland. However, it does not monitor this process or collect numerical data.
We asked how many migrants had been received by Border Guard officers from German territory (including joint facilities with German services) in 2024 and 2025. We also requested data from previous years. The response was striking:
“Such data is not collected,”
replied the Border Guard in April.