The border between the modern states of

Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...

and

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

has a length of .

Crossings

The Belgium–Germany border is crossed by two railways, the railway between

Liège Liège ( ; ; ; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and Municipalities in Belgium, municipality of Wallonia, and the capital of the Liège Province, province of Liège, Belgium. The city is situated in the valley of the Meuse, in the east o ...

and

Aachen Aachen is the List of cities in North Rhine-Westphalia by population, 13th-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia and the List of cities in Germany by population, 27th-largest city of Germany, with around 261,000 inhabitants. Aachen is locat ...

, as well as the railway between

Tongeren Tongeren (; ; ; ) is a city and former municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg, in the southeastern corner of the Flemish region of Belgium. Tongeren is the oldest town in Belgium, as the only Roman administrative capital wit ...

and

. There are around 20 public roads which cross the border, of them 2

motorway A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway, and expressway. Other similar terms ...

s (controlled-access highways), A3/ A44/ E40 and A27/ A60/ E42. Ligne des Fagnes

Vennbahn

One specific feature of the border is the route of the Vennbahn railway. The Vennbahn railway route has been Belgian territory since 1919, under the provisions of the

Treaty of Versailles The Treaty of Versailles was a peace treaty signed on 28 June 1919. As the most important treaty of World War I, it ended the state of war between Germany and most of the Allies of World War I, Allied Powers. It was signed in the Palace ...

. The Treaty decided that the former German area of

Eupen-Malmedy Eupen-Malmedy is a small, predominantly German-speaking region in eastern Belgium. It consists of three administrative cantons around the towns of Eupen, Malmedy, and Sankt Vith which encompass some . Elsewhere in Belgium, the region is common ...

should be ceded to Belgium, along with the entire Vennbahn railway route which crossed the border several times. Border stones can be found on the right and left of the route. Due to the route of the now defunct railway, six

exclaves An enclave is a territory that is entirely surrounded by the territory of only one other state or entity. An enclave can be an independent territory or part of a larger one. Enclaves may also exist within territorial waters. ''Enclave'' is s ...

of Germany, completely surrounded by Belgian territory, as well as one counter-enclave, were created. Today five German enclaves remain surrounded by Belgian territory, consisting of the village Mützenich as well as parts of the districts of Monschaus and Roetgens. Following land swaps, the sixth enclave and the Belgian counter-enclave, no longer exist.

Border formalities

Both countries belong to the

Schengen Area The Schengen Area ( , ) encompasses European countries that have officially abolished border controls at their common borders. As an element within the wider area of freedom, security and justice (AFSJ) policy of the European Union (EU), it ...

and the

European Union Customs Union The European Union Customs Union (EUCU), formally known as the Community Customs Union, is a customs union which consists of all the member states of the European Union (EU), Monaco, and the British Overseas Territory of Akrotiri and Dheke ...

. There have been no customs checks as such since 1968 and no systematic passport checks since 1995.

References

European Union internal borders Borders of Belgium Borders of Germany International borders

External links

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