The EU’s Directorate-General for Migration & Home Affairs has reconfirmed that France will keep internal Schengen border controls in place until 31 October 2026, citing persistent jihadist threats, rising antisemitic attacks and migrant-smuggling networks at the Channel coast. The notification—updated online on 20 October—covers land, sea and air borders with Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Spain and Italy. In practice, travellers arriving by Eurostar, ferry or road may face passport inspections and vehicle checks. While most business travellers report minimal delays (5-10 minutes), peaks can reach an hour at the Frejus and La Jungfrau tunnels when freight traffic coincides with police operations. The current extension is the latest in a series of six-month renewals that began after the 2015 terror attacks. Under the revised Schengen Borders Code, France must file a risk-assessment report for each prolongation beyond two years; critics argue that the controls are becoming quasi-permanent and hinder labour mobility in border regions. Companies relocating staff within Benelux or transporting goods via just-in-time supply chains should continue to pad travel schedules and carry proof of assignment letters to expedite secondary inspections.
