Road transport
Transport sector ‘not happy’ with stricter border controls in France
Measure against illegal immigration
The transport industry is ‘not happy’ with the stricter border controls in France starting from November 1. “If traffic jams and delays occur, it’s very frustrating for businesses because it costs an enormous amount of money,” says a spokesperson from Transport and Logistiek Nederland (TLN).
France is tightening border controls until the end of April 2025 at its borders with Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, and Italy. The newly appointed French Prime Minister, Michel Barnier, recently announced the measure as part of efforts to combat illegal immigration. According to Barnier, France is no longer adequately able to control its borders, enforce migration policies, or manage cross-border crime.
De woordvoerder van TLN kan nog niet voorspellen welke gevolgen de maatregel zal hebben voor de transportbedrijven. ‘Het is afwachten hoe het gaat lopen.’
German border controls
Germany introduced stricter controls at all borders, including the one with the Netherlands, last month. Leading up to the implementation, TLN feared that drivers would face long waits and products might not arrive on time. However, once the measure was in place, TLN observed that there were no major issues. Only a few checkpoints along the Dutch border were in operation. “So far, the traffic jams haven’t been too bad,” said the spokesperson on Saturday regarding the German measure.
Various goods, such as flowers, are transported from the Netherlands to France. However, Germany is a much larger and more important market for Dutch transport companies than France, according to the spokesperson.
Source: NT
