Germany wants to ban the entry and stay of individuals who are deemed dangerous, even if they are entering the country for the first time.
The initiative on the matter has been put forth by the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, with the latter citing rising security and safety concerns, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
The CDU/CSU parliamentary group would like to ensure that in the future, entry and stay bans can be imposed on dangerous people even when they enter the country for the first time.
The discussion of the draft law has been scheduled for March 14, 2024, and through it, the German authorities seek to address the loopholes in the existing legislation.
Under the current rules that Germany has, entry and residence bans are mainly applicable to people who have previously been expelled or deported from the country.
However, taking into account the current situation in the bloc, the proposed amendment aims to extend this measure and prohibit entry to individuals who are deemed potentially dangerous, including political and religious extremists.
The country also wants to make it possible to ban certain individuals if the authorities are aware of someone’s planned entry, even if that is at a very early stage.
This also applies if the German authorities become aware of this person’s planned visit at an early stage.
Urgent Need for Tightened Entry Rules
CDU/CSU parliamentary group has said that there is an urgent need for the country to tighten some of its entry rules.
The urgency for the heightened measures has been put in the spotlight due to recent events that have been considered high risk for the security and safety of the country, notably the presence of a Taliban official in Germany who entered the country unrestricted in November 2023.
This individual reportedly spread propaganda in a mosque in Cologne, raising concerns about the ease with which certain people can operate within the border of the country.
Members of the CDU/CSU parliamentary groups also highlighted that the war in the Gaza Strip also calls for tightened rules to ensure that individuals representing a security risk are not able to enter Germany.
Those in support of the proposed tightened entry regulations have said that dangerous individuals should not be given the privilege to enter the country. The same stressed that it is the right time to take measures against all those who represent any possible threat.
