Police forces from Belgium’s provinces of Luxembourg and Liège joined their Luxembourgish counterparts on 17 December 2025 for the first live exercise of the Belgian-Luxembourg Border Alert Plan. The drill simulated an armoured-truck robbery in Luxembourg, with suspects attempting multiple crossings into Belgium before being intercepted.
The plan—signed in May 2024 and in force since July 2024—aims to create a ‘virtual ring-fence’ that can be activated within minutes during high-intensity incidents such as terrorist attacks, mass-casualty accidents or large-scale protests. Officers practised alert dissemination, manning of control posts and joint pursuit protocols, using real-time data links between command centres in Arlon and Luxembourg City.
For daily travellers and cross-border workers (estimated at 50 000 commuters), the test caused brief traffic stops on the E25 and N4 corridors but no major delays. Authorities emphasised that future activations would be highly targeted and time-bound, balancing security with Schengen freedom of movement.
![Belgium and Luxembourg Drill New Cross-Border Alert Plan]()
Amid such evolving security measures, individuals and firms can simplify their travel planning by using VisaHQ’s Belgium portal (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/), which provides real-time guidance on passport and visa requirements, courier renewal services and bulk compliance tools—particularly useful when border controls tighten at short notice.
Multinational corporations running logistics through the Benelux region should update contingency plans, as the protocol allows for rolling truck inspections and temporary road closures. HR teams may also wish to brief employees on carrying valid ID when commuting across the border.
Luxembourg’s Interior Ministry hailed the exercise as proof of Benelux cooperation, while Belgian Federal Police said lessons learned would feed into a forthcoming Frontex-supported risk analysis for the wider Schengen perimeter.
The plan—signed in May 2024 and in force since July 2024—aims to create a ‘virtual ring-fence’ that can be activated within minutes during high-intensity incidents such as terrorist attacks, mass-casualty accidents or large-scale protests. Officers practised alert dissemination, manning of control posts and joint pursuit protocols, using real-time data links between command centres in Arlon and Luxembourg City.
For daily travellers and cross-border workers (estimated at 50 000 commuters), the test caused brief traffic stops on the E25 and N4 corridors but no major delays. Authorities emphasised that future activations would be highly targeted and time-bound, balancing security with Schengen freedom of movement.
Amid such evolving security measures, individuals and firms can simplify their travel planning by using VisaHQ’s Belgium portal (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/), which provides real-time guidance on passport and visa requirements, courier renewal services and bulk compliance tools—particularly useful when border controls tighten at short notice.
Multinational corporations running logistics through the Benelux region should update contingency plans, as the protocol allows for rolling truck inspections and temporary road closures. HR teams may also wish to brief employees on carrying valid ID when commuting across the border.
Luxembourg’s Interior Ministry hailed the exercise as proof of Benelux cooperation, while Belgian Federal Police said lessons learned would feed into a forthcoming Frontex-supported risk analysis for the wider Schengen perimeter.
