In remarks reported by the Financial Times on 4 December, Luxembourg’s Home Affairs Minister Léon Gloden criticised Germany and the European Commission for allowing prolonged internal Schengen border controls. Gloden argued that daily checks on the Luxembourg-Germany frontier disrupt some 52 000 commuters and contravene EU free-movement rules.
He contrasted Berlin’s hard line with France and Belgium, which he said enforce ‘targeted and flexible’ police operations that minimise delays. Belgium removed most ad-hoc controls earlier this year, relying instead on mobile teams and data-driven profiling—a model Luxembourg wants Germany to emulate.
![Luxembourg slams German border checks while praising Belgium’s ‘flexible’ approach]()
The spat matters for Belgian employers around Arlon and the Liège-Trier corridor, where staffing plans depend on seamless cross-border travel. Prolonged German checks have already prompted some Belgian logistics firms to reroute deliveries via the Netherlands. Should the Commission tighten oversight, Belgium’s cooperative stance could serve as a template and preserve mobility for Belgian workers and hauliers.
The Commission responded that it is consulting member states on a new Schengen evaluation mechanism. Belgian officials privately welcome the review, noting that asymmetrical controls create ‘competitive distortions’ along the Benelux rim.
He contrasted Berlin’s hard line with France and Belgium, which he said enforce ‘targeted and flexible’ police operations that minimise delays. Belgium removed most ad-hoc controls earlier this year, relying instead on mobile teams and data-driven profiling—a model Luxembourg wants Germany to emulate.
The spat matters for Belgian employers around Arlon and the Liège-Trier corridor, where staffing plans depend on seamless cross-border travel. Prolonged German checks have already prompted some Belgian logistics firms to reroute deliveries via the Netherlands. Should the Commission tighten oversight, Belgium’s cooperative stance could serve as a template and preserve mobility for Belgian workers and hauliers.
The Commission responded that it is consulting member states on a new Schengen evaluation mechanism. Belgian officials privately welcome the review, noting that asymmetrical controls create ‘competitive distortions’ along the Benelux rim.
