The European Commission on 2 June issued a formal opinion urging France – along with Germany and seven other Schengen members – to begin phasing out the internal border controls it has maintained since the 2015-2016 security crisis. The opinion, sent under Article 27 of the revised Schengen Borders Code, concludes that the French checks at road and rail crossings with Italy, Spain, Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany are no longer “necessary and proportionate” in view of alternative policing tools now available. It invites Paris to present a roadmap for a “progressive lifting” of the controls and to rely instead on mobile police patrols, biometric spot-checks and enhanced real-time data-sharing with neighbouring forces. France first reinstated the controls after the November 2015 Paris attacks and has renewed them every six months, citing terrorism and irregular secondary movements.
Business-travel lobbies and cross-border chambers of commerce have long complained that the stop-and-search regime increases travel time and supply-chain costs for some 170 000 daily commuters, including posted workers and service engineers.
![European Commission tells France to phase out prolonged Schengen border checks]()
At this juncture, travellers and corporate mobility teams may find it helpful to consult VisaHQ, which provides up-to-date guidance on French visas, ETIAS requirements and Schengen border developments. Their online platform (https://www.visahq.com/france/) streamlines document checks, offers notification services when policies change, and can even arrange group filings—useful for firms shuttling staff across the Lille–Brussels corridor.
The Commission notes that electronic Entry/Exit System (EES) gates – fully operational since April – and the forthcoming ETIAS travel authorisation will strengthen the EU’s external border this year, reducing the rationale for checks inside the zone. Henna Virkkunen, Commission Vice-President for Security & Democracy, stressed that border-free travel is “an economic asset that must remain the norm”. Brussels is therefore asking France to consult with affected regions and present mitigation measures such as jointly staffed police units or number-plate recognition corridors before the next renewal decision is due on 31 October. For corporate mobility managers the signal is clear: although passports may still be inspected on certain crossings this summer, the medium-term trajectory is towards smoother land borders. Companies operating commuter shuttles between Lille and Brussels, or shipping parts from Turin to Lyon, should monitor the forthcoming French roadmap and be ready to adapt routing procedures and driver briefings as restrictions ease. The Commission’s opinion is non-binding, but in practice member states almost always comply or risk infringement proceedings. If Paris sets a withdrawal timetable, business travellers could see tangible improvements – shorter queues at the Montgenèvre tunnel, fewer spot-checks on the Luxembourg A31 – as early as the fourth quarter of 2026.
Business-travel lobbies and cross-border chambers of commerce have long complained that the stop-and-search regime increases travel time and supply-chain costs for some 170 000 daily commuters, including posted workers and service engineers.
At this juncture, travellers and corporate mobility teams may find it helpful to consult VisaHQ, which provides up-to-date guidance on French visas, ETIAS requirements and Schengen border developments. Their online platform (https://www.visahq.com/france/) streamlines document checks, offers notification services when policies change, and can even arrange group filings—useful for firms shuttling staff across the Lille–Brussels corridor.
The Commission notes that electronic Entry/Exit System (EES) gates – fully operational since April – and the forthcoming ETIAS travel authorisation will strengthen the EU’s external border this year, reducing the rationale for checks inside the zone. Henna Virkkunen, Commission Vice-President for Security & Democracy, stressed that border-free travel is “an economic asset that must remain the norm”. Brussels is therefore asking France to consult with affected regions and present mitigation measures such as jointly staffed police units or number-plate recognition corridors before the next renewal decision is due on 31 October. For corporate mobility managers the signal is clear: although passports may still be inspected on certain crossings this summer, the medium-term trajectory is towards smoother land borders. Companies operating commuter shuttles between Lille and Brussels, or shipping parts from Turin to Lyon, should monitor the forthcoming French roadmap and be ready to adapt routing procedures and driver briefings as restrictions ease. The Commission’s opinion is non-binding, but in practice member states almost always comply or risk infringement proceedings. If Paris sets a withdrawal timetable, business travellers could see tangible improvements – shorter queues at the Montgenèvre tunnel, fewer spot-checks on the Luxembourg A31 – as early as the fourth quarter of 2026.
