In a long-form analysis published on 8 October 2026, French daily Le Monde examines the rapid multiplication of internal-border controls across the Schengen area and highlights France’s pivotal role in normalising what was once deemed an exceptional measure. Citing data from the European Commission, the article notes that nine Schengen members currently maintain some form of control and that France has operated the regime almost continuously for eleven years. Interviewed experts warn that the patchwork of national re-introductions fragments the single market and complicates life for the 1.9 million EU citizens who commute across an internal frontier every day—including 190,000 who cross into or out of France. Hauliers complain of hour-long traffic jams at the Mont Blanc tunnel on busy weekends, while cross-border tech clusters in Lille-Kortrijk and Geneva-Annemasse say recruitment of highly skilled non-EU talent has become harder because residence permits from one Schengen state no longer guarantee hassle-free onward travel. French officials quoted by the newspaper argue that continued jihadist threats and migrant-smuggling networks justify the checks, adding that the forthcoming European Entry/Exit System will eventually allow controls to be eased. However, legal scholars counter that repeated extensions stretch the wording of the Schengen Borders Code and risk court challenges. For global-mobility teams, the analysis underscores a trend: cross-border assignments inside the EU are increasingly subject to the same planning and compliance hurdles as classic “third-country” postings. Companies may need to budget for extra travel time, provide letters of assignment in multiple languages and advise executives to carry proof of accommodation and invitation letters even on short intra-EU trips.
Source: Le Monde
