The European Commission’s Schengen monitoring portal published France’s latest notification of a temporary reintroduction of internal border controls, extending checks from 1 November 2026 to 30 April 2027. The measure covers all French land, air and sea borders with neighbouring states—including Belgium—citing persistent jihadist threats, a rise in antisemitic incidents and smuggling networks along the Channel and North Sea coasts. Although France’s controls target security, they carry practical consequences for Belgian-based businesses whose staff or cargo routinely cross into France. Coach operators already report 20-minute average delays at the E17 Rekkem–Lille crossing during peak hours. With Paris hosting the Peace Forum on 10-11 November, spot checks are set to intensify, potentially affecting executive shuttles between Brussels and Paris. For holders of Belgian residence permits, the controls do not remove their right to circulate within Schengen, but they must carry passports or ID cards and, where applicable, proof of lawful residence. Companies should remind assignees that mobile residence permits (eID cards) are accepted but that digital copies on smartphones are not. From a compliance perspective, the extension complicates posted-worker logistics under the EU’s ICT Directive, as transport time now fluctuates more widely. Employers should factor buffer time into A1 certificate validity and avoid scheduling same-day return meetings that depend on tight train or road connections. Logistics providers may also need to update Incoterms in contracts to account for inspection-related delivery delays.
Source: European Commission – DG Home
