French President Emmanuel Macron began a two-day state visit to Spain on Tuesday, the first by a French head of state since 2009. While the ceremonial agenda features a royal banquet and the signing of fifteen co-operation declarations, mobility issues loom large behind the red carpet. Analysts note that Paris has repeatedly re-introduced internal Schengen controls at the Bidasoa and Perthus crossings to curb irregular migration—a practice that irritates exporters and thousands of cross-border workers. Diplomatic sources say Madrid will press Macron for a firmer commitment to keep any future controls short and targeted. The visit comes days after Spain’s Constitutional Court cleared the long-stalled Treaty of Friendship and Co-operation, which, once ratified, will create joint working groups on transport, police co-operation and border infrastructure. Business leaders hope the treaty will accelerate long-planned rail links that could cut freight transit times between Barcelona and Toulouse by 30 percent. Beyond borders, the two leaders will co-host a trade and investment forum where energy interconnections—particularly a French reluctance to fast-track a second Pyrenean power line—are expected to dominate. With more than 330,000 Spaniards living in France and nearly 500,000 Spanish jobs tied to French companies, smoother cross-border mobility remains essential for both economies. Corporate mobility managers should monitor follow-up to the treaty: the draft annexes include a pilot project for mutual recognition of electronic residence permits that could simplify short-term assignments in aerospace, automotive and digital services sectors operating on both sides of the border.
Source: El País
