Belgians puzzled and displeased as Germany brings back border controls

Germany's decision to introduce controls at each of its nine land borders for the next six months has caught those who frequently cross them in a mix of surprise and disapproval.

The measures announced on Monday will apply from 16 September until 15 March of next year at the borders with Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Denmark.

Considering that the Austrian border has been subject to controls since May, the frontiers with Switzerland, Poland and the Czech Republic since June, and the French border since July, the country is practically back to the era of border controls in Europe.

It's worth noting that Germany's not the only one to have done this: this year alone, 10 countries in the open-border Schengen zone reintroduced controls at some of their borders, for reasons such as fighting terrorism and controlling irregular immigration.

The control procedures could especially inconvenience those who live close to the borders and often travel between countries, such as the inhabitants of Eupen — the regional capital of the German-speaking Belgian east, a few kilometres from the border.

Many go shopping in Germany for cheaper goods and bigger selections, but that might be put on hold for now.

"If it becomes a problem for me to go shopping, then I don't agree with this measure," Andreas, a German citizen who has lived in Belgium for 20 years and is married to a local woman, told Euronews.

"I think freedom of movement is important because we are in the border area and every country needs to import and export something from abroad," he said. "And I think it is important to be able to go back and forth."

Lorry drivers crossing the border seem resigned to losing a few extra minutes to possible controls. Some of them, after all,