Speaking on 17 July 2026 during an interview with Austria’s public broadcaster ORF, EU-Commissioner for Mobility Magnus Brunner reiterated his call for the abolition of the temporary controls that several member states – including Austria and Germany – still carry out at their shared Schengen internal borders. Brunner argued that, eleven years after Austria re-introduced checks during the 2015 migration crisis, the legal and technical pre-conditions to return to a fully functioning Schengen Area have now been met. According to Brunner, irregular border crossings along the Western Balkan route have fallen by 37 % in the first half of 2026 thanks to the EU’s new external-border measures, the Entry/Exit System (EES) that records non-EU travellers, and the bloc’s recently adopted Asylum and Migration Pact. “Our homework is largely done – internal controls must not become the new normal,” he said, warning that prolonged checks risk fragmenting the single market, delaying supply chains and undermining the freedom of movement that underpins European competitiveness. Seven countries – Austria, Germany, France, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Italy – continue to notify the Commission of controls on parts of their internal frontiers. Vienna most recently prolonged its land- and river-border checks with the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Slovenia until 15 September 2026, citing ongoing security threats. Brunner acknowledged that the complete roll-back “will not work one hundred per cent from day one” but stressed that the Commission would keep legal pressure on member states to honour Schengen rules once the perceived threats subside. Inside Austria, the Commissioner’s remarks have reignited a long-running dispute between the pro-business finance and mobility ministries and the interior ministry led by Gerhard Karner, who calls the controls “a necessary safety valve”. While industry groups such as the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber welcomed Brunner’s intervention, border-region commuters remain divided: hauliers and tourist operators complain about unpredictable waiting times, whereas local authorities highlight falling smuggling incidents. For corporate mobility managers the message is two-fold. First, they should plan for continued spot checks on the four eastern borders throughout the summer peak period. Second, they should prepare staff and transferees for faster travel once controls are eventually lifted – a scenario that could materialise as early as the fourth quarter if migration numbers stay low. Businesses with frequent cross-border operations are advised to keep proof of assignments, employment contracts and accommodation bookings on hand to minimise delays during the current transition phase.
Source: Der Standard / ORF
