Earlier this month, the German government announced the implementation of stricter border checks at all nine of its land borders, which are typically open under the European Schengen zone.
With these measures set to remain in place for at least six months to protect German interests, there are growing concerns about their impact on trade across Europe.
Key Points:
- Since September 16, 2024, border checks have been introduced at Germany’s borders with Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, and Switzerland.
- These checks are scheduled to be in place temporarily for six months, though they may be extended if the German government determines that the stricter controls are effectively reducing illegal immigration and border crime.
- The additional controls have already caused delays, with Deutsche Bahn – Germany’s largest train operator – experiencing disruptions.
What’s Been the Response?
Shippers have advocated for the implementation of “green lanes” for freight vehicles. These lanes would allow commercial trucks to bypass some of the controls, helping to reduce the congestion that has been building. This would also ensure that critical goods continue to move smoothly across borders, a strategy successfully employed during the COVID-19 pandemic to facilitate the trade of essential materials in 2020/2021.
So far, there has been no significant response from local authorities, and concerns are mounting over the potential economic impact. Industry experts estimate that the cost of transport delays amounts to €10 million per day.
How Are We Supporting Customers?
Supply chain interruptions can lead to stock shortages, increased business costs, and lost opportunities, particularly for our clients in the automotive and retail sectors. Our control centres in Düsseldorf (Germany) and Bratislava (Slovakia) are working closely to ensure customer cargo is transported across Europe with minimal delays and at a low cost.
To find out how we’re doing this, contact our local experts in Düsseldorf at: info@evolution-timecritical.de or call +49 (0)211 4361 980.
