Experts from all 27 EU member states gathered in Brussels on 3 July 2026 for the latest session of the Council’s Working Party for Schengen Matters. According to the official agenda, delegates focused on two Belgian-relevant issues: the country’s prolonged Article 23 internal-border checks with France and the Netherlands, and interoperability glitches between national databases and the new Entry/Exit System. Belgium presented preliminary data showing that its targeted roadside checks—extended until 31 July 2026—have intercepted over 4,200 irregular migrants and 312 suspected people-smugglers since July 2025.
![Schengen Working Party meets in Brussels to review internal-border checks and EES rollout]()
Travellers and employers who want to make sure their paperwork is in order before approaching these temporary checkpoints can consult VisaHQ’s Belgium portal. The service provides up-to-date guidance on acceptable travel documents, helps users renew or replace passports at short notice, and can even arrange expedited visas for onward journeys beyond the Schengen Area—saving valuable time while the current border regime remains in flux.
Several delegations queried proportionality and called for a return to unimpeded Schengen travel once EES stabilises. The meeting also heard from eu-LISA officials, who confirmed that Belgium’s Police ICT unit still experiences a 7 % error rate when transmitting biometric packets, contributing to airport queues. A fast-track software patch is due mid-July, while member states agreed to share field-test results every 48 hours during the peak season. For companies shuttling staff across Benelux borders, the discussion signals that roadside ID checks may persist through the summer holiday period. Employers should advise drivers of company vehicles to carry passports (not just ID cards) and allow an extra 30 minutes on cross-border routes such as the E19 and A16 corridors. The next Schengen Working Party is pencilled in for 10 September 2026, by which time Belgium must decide whether to lift or re-extend the controls. Observers note that the tone of the debate suggests growing peer pressure to normalise border-free travel once EES technical hurdles are resolved.
Travellers and employers who want to make sure their paperwork is in order before approaching these temporary checkpoints can consult VisaHQ’s Belgium portal. The service provides up-to-date guidance on acceptable travel documents, helps users renew or replace passports at short notice, and can even arrange expedited visas for onward journeys beyond the Schengen Area—saving valuable time while the current border regime remains in flux.
Several delegations queried proportionality and called for a return to unimpeded Schengen travel once EES stabilises. The meeting also heard from eu-LISA officials, who confirmed that Belgium’s Police ICT unit still experiences a 7 % error rate when transmitting biometric packets, contributing to airport queues. A fast-track software patch is due mid-July, while member states agreed to share field-test results every 48 hours during the peak season. For companies shuttling staff across Benelux borders, the discussion signals that roadside ID checks may persist through the summer holiday period. Employers should advise drivers of company vehicles to carry passports (not just ID cards) and allow an extra 30 minutes on cross-border routes such as the E19 and A16 corridors. The next Schengen Working Party is pencilled in for 10 September 2026, by which time Belgium must decide whether to lift or re-extend the controls. Observers note that the tone of the debate suggests growing peer pressure to normalise border-free travel once EES technical hurdles are resolved.
