France Tightens Asylum Litigation Rules with New Decree Published 18 July 2026
France Publishes Decree Extending UK–France Channel Migration Accord
New Decree Overhauls Border-Asylum Procedure and CNDA Appeals
Latest News
Geographic Scope of Immigration-Integration Pilot Expanded to New Departments
An order published on 18 July 2026 extends France’s immigration-integration experiment to three additional departments, giving local authorities more flexibility to issue multi-year residence and work permits under accelerated rules. Companies operating in the affected areas can anticipate quicker processing but must meet beefed-up language-training obligations.
French EES Glitch Prompts Manual Checks at Dover, Raising Fears of Weekend Border Gridlock
A software fault has forced French border police at Dover to switch to manual processing for the EU’s new Entry/Exit System just as the busiest summer weekend begins. With 17,500 cars expected over two days, transport authorities fear long queues and diversions that could also disrupt freight. The incident underscores wider concerns that the EES rollout is not ready for peak season and could deter travellers and business traffic alike.
Eurostar Warns of Delays on 17 July as EU Border Procedures Slow Services Through Channel Tunnel
Eurostar is experiencing delays of up to an hour on 17 July, with the company citing EU border-control formalities and heavy summer traffic. The operator is offering free rebooking and warns passengers to allow extra time for check-in as EES data-capture is still being handled manually.
Deadly thunderstorms disrupt transport nationwide after record heatwave
A super-cell storm killed two people and cut power to 53,000 French homes overnight on 16-17 July, triggering flight diversions, rail slow-downs and motorway closures. The disruption, coming days after a record heatwave, underscores the need for robust weather-related business-continuity plans for travellers and assignees in France.
France and Germany Agree to Coordinate Internal Border Controls to Tackle Channel Migration Route
In a joint communiqué issued after the 26th Franco-German Ministerial Council, Paris and Berlin promised to synchronise internal border checks and step up cooperation against Channel-route people-smuggling. Businesses should prepare for more frequent ID inspections on cross-border routes as the two countries trial new control measures.
Franco-German council targets cross-border rail and apprenticeship hurdles
The 26ᵗʰ Franco-German Ministerial Council set out new measures to simplify rail travel, vocational training and police cooperation in border regions. Easier booking, additional cross-border rail projects and expanded apprenticeship schemes promise to reduce daily mobility friction for companies and workers operating on both sides of the Rhine.
Eurostar cancels multiple Paris–London services amid network restrictions
Eurostar cancelled several Paris–London trains on 17 July citing operational restrictions, while other services faced delays linked to border controls and tunnel traffic. The disruption strains peak-season capacity and highlights the need for contingency planning when moving staff between French and UK offices.