Thirty years ago the fall of the Berlin Wall raised hopes of a peaceful open Europe, free from the ideological division and threat of (nuclear) war that had plagued it for decades. However, in 2019 we see a Europe with more walls than ever before – this time to seal Europe off from people from the rest of the world, trying to stop desperate people from finding safety and the hope of a livable future.
Moreover, the prospects look bleak: in its next budget cycle (2021-2027) the EU will pump billions of euros more into border security. There is only one clear winner: the European military and security industry booming from this wall-building business. EU migration policies have been following this trajectory for at least thirty years, but the 'refugee crisis' in 2015 led to a rapid escalation of border militarisation and increasing spending.
The construction of 1000 kilometres of border walls – the equivalent of six Berlin Walls – and an increase of Frontex maritime operations, covering at least 4750 kilometres in the Mediterranean and between the African mainland and the Canary Islands, have been highly visible elements of this trend.
