Söder and Stocker: Bratwurst as a symbol of Bavarian-Austrian cooperation

Söder and Stocker: Bratwurst as a symbol of Bavarian-Austrian cooperation

Wien, Österreich - On July 10, 2025, Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder and Austria's Federal Chancellor Christian Stocker met in Vienna for a job visit. The main focus was on the expansion of the cooperation between Bavaria and Austria, with the focus of the topics of migration, border controls and traffic. During the meeting, Söder said that the block handling and night driving bans previously practiced did not represent long -term solutions. Instead, he suggested a toll and slot system to better regulate traffic and to meet the challenges of migration. After the consultations, both politicians visited a sausage stand where they enjoyed a bratwurst. Söder humorously described this as "Bavarian sausage diplomacy", while Stocker emphasized on social media that Austria and Bavaria were on a line in many topics, also in their love of sausage. 5min.at reports about the encounter and the central role that played these topics in the conversations.

The discussion about border controls is not only pursued intensively by political leaders, but also by lawyers. Stefan Salomon, junior professor for European law at the University of Amsterdam, reported his concern about systematic violations of EU law that are carried out by countries like Germany. In particular, the border controls on the border with Austria introduced since 2015 are criticized because they are in the room as a violation of fundamental rights. Salomon reported personal experiences with passport checks when traveling from Amsterdam to Austria, which he perceives as inappropriate. He has already taken legal action and sued the controls in the ICE because he considers a new exam of this practice necessary. Süddeutsche.de addressed Solomon's lawsuit and the legal possibilities for citizens in this context.

Current situation of border controls in Europe

In recent years, more and more European countries have introduced border controls. Not only Poland, but also Belgium, plans to take these measures, which presents travel freedom within the EU with new challenges. The Polish Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak emphasized that the controls aimed at preventing illegal smuggings from migrants and assured that normal travelers should not be affected. Süddeutsche.de reports on ongoing border controls and their extensive consequences for European freedom of travel.

At a summit on the Zugspitze, further tightening in asylum policy is expected, which also heats up the discussion about border controls. While some countries are trying to get the challenges of migration under control, the EU is powerless over the serious situation that is tightened by the different national politics.

The legal disputes that result from these controls could be of great importance for German and Austrian travelers. In front of the Bavarian Administrative Court, the admissibility of a lawsuit against border controls is currently being checked, which may question the legality of these measures. A groundbreaking judgment is expected in the coming weeks and could ensure clarity in a legally complex area.