“It is difficult to be pleased with such a decision because its economic consequences will be serious. As the Northern Chamber of Commerce, we will continuously monitor, observe, and respond to the feedback from our entrepreneurs. However, we will not raise protests because we understand that the situation at the border results from serious social unrest, and we recognize that, at this moment, controls are necessary for public safety. Still, we have certain expectations of the government and look forward to receiving answers before July 7th,” said Hanna Mojsiuk, President of the Northern Chamber of Commerce in Szczecin.
The Northern Chamber of Commerce Asks the Polish Government about Border Controls
According to Hanna Mojsiuk, entrepreneurs feel like stakeholders in the discussion about what is happening on the Polish-German border. Recent weeks have been chaotic, as social unrest linked to illegal migration has forced authorities to act. “We understand this and do not protest. However, entrepreneurs expect to be treated as partners in the discussion and as a group directly affected by the situation,” she added.
As an institution representing businesses across the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, the Chamber has always supported international integration and cross-border business. Therefore, it expects that the introduction of controls will be accompanied by answers to questions such as:
- How long will the controls last? Do the authorities have planned timelines and evaluation periods after which the public will be informed of the outcomes?
- Will cross-border workers and residents in the border area receive passes or travel preferences? Every day, hundreds if not thousands of workers cross the border to get to work.
- How will the economic impact of border closures be monitored? As a Chamber, we worry about our tourism, cross-border trade, as well as transport, forwarding, and logistics sectors.
“The government has the right to react dynamically to international situations, and security is paramount. We agree to the controls but need to know how long they will last, under what conditions they will be conducted, and whether the Polish government takes into account the economic consequences of these controls,” said Hanna Mojsiuk.
The Decision Is Not a Surprise
Border controls on the Polish-German border were introduced by the German side in October 2023 at all crossings between Poland and Germany. Initially, their intensity was low, so they were an occasional nuisance. The situation is now much more serious, with more frequent controls, and the Northern Chamber of Commerce is receiving signals that this is an increasing problem for the TSL (transport, spedition, logistics) sector. It is difficult to say what the situation will look like after July 7.
“Prime Minister Tusk’s decision is not a surprise, and the logistics sector has for some time expected controls to take place. Currently, there are no plans to change logistics chains or land transport routes. However, we know that entrepreneurs’ concerns are serious, and if transports get stuck at the borders for many hours, a reaction from the TSL sector is inevitable. Border controls can paralyze transport across Europe. We hope this will not happen in Poland,” said Przemysław Hołowacz, Business Development Director of the CSL Group.
“Europe aims for record tourist spending, while the Polish government plans border controls at the German border in summer 2025. The tourist season in Europe runs from May to September, peaking in July and August. Border checks that contribute little to preventing illegal migration may have a negative impact not only on the transport sector and people living in border areas but also on tourism businesses. It should also be noted that German tourists rank second only to British tourists in terms of spending in Poland during holidays,” emphasized Rafał Malujda, a lawyer specializing in cross-border issues.
Source: ceo.com.pl
