Late on 3 November 2025 France’s interior ministry confirmed that internal border controls—first reintroduced in 2024—will run at least until 30 April 2026. The decree covers all land, sea and air frontiers with Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Spain and Italy. Paris cites an elevated terror threat, organised-crime networks and irregular migration.
For freight forwarders and corporate fleets the Franco-German axis is the key concern. The ministry says it will “minimise trade disruption”, yet operators already report queue times of 30–45 minutes on the A35 and A4 corridors and occasional night closures of minor crossings in the Saar and Upper Rhine regions. Passenger traffic faces random ID checks; holders of diplomatic and service passports must now use designated lanes.
![France prolongs Schengen border checks, maintaining controls on crossings with Germany]()
German companies with just-in-time supply chains—especially automotive plants in Baden-Württemberg and Saarland—should review buffer stocks and driver schedules. HR departments should alert employees that carrying national ID or passports is mandatory again, even on routine cross-border commutes.
Berlin’s response was muted: a Interior Ministry spokesperson called the extension “regrettable but legally permissible under Article 25 of the Schengen Code.” Business associations, however, urged both capitals to publish weekly performance data so companies can plan.
For freight forwarders and corporate fleets the Franco-German axis is the key concern. The ministry says it will “minimise trade disruption”, yet operators already report queue times of 30–45 minutes on the A35 and A4 corridors and occasional night closures of minor crossings in the Saar and Upper Rhine regions. Passenger traffic faces random ID checks; holders of diplomatic and service passports must now use designated lanes.
German companies with just-in-time supply chains—especially automotive plants in Baden-Württemberg and Saarland—should review buffer stocks and driver schedules. HR departments should alert employees that carrying national ID or passports is mandatory again, even on routine cross-border commutes.
Berlin’s response was muted: a Interior Ministry spokesperson called the extension “regrettable but legally permissible under Article 25 of the Schengen Code.” Business associations, however, urged both capitals to publish weekly performance data so companies can plan.
