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Western Balkans truck drivers threaten EU border blockade over Schengen stay limits

Freight operators in four non-EU nations demand exemptions from rules that restrict non-EU drivers to 90 days in the Schengen zone within any 180-day period.

Updated Aug 31, 2026 · 20:24 UTC1 reports

The short version

  • Truck drivers in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, and North Macedonia have threatened to block EU border crossings on September 14 unless they receive exemptions from Schengen stay limits.
  • Non-EU drivers are restricted to 90 days inside the Schengen area every 180 days, a limitation drivers argue effectively cuts their working time in half.
  • The enforcement of these limits has tightened following the April launch of the EU's electronic Entry/Exit System.
  • Drivers are demanding an EU-wide solution rather than piecemeal bilateral agreements between individual countries.

Key facts

  • Drivers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, and North Macedonia demonstrated on August 31, threatening a border blockade on September 14 if Brussels does not grant an exemption to Schengen rules.[Al Jazeera]
  • Current EU rules restrict non-EU nationals to spending a maximum of 90 days in the Schengen area within any 180-day window.[Al Jazeera]
  • The implementation of the EU's Entry/Exit System in April introduced electronic tracking for non-EU entries and exits, worsening the enforcement dispute for transport workers.[Al Jazeera]
  • According to trade group Logistika BiH, the 90-day limitation affects approximately 5,000 professional drivers in Bosnia and Herzegovina alone.[Al Jazeera]
  • The European Union accounts for over 60 percent of the Western Balkans' total trade, making regional supply chains vulnerable to transport disruptions.[Al Jazeera]

What remains uncertain

  • It remains uncertain whether the European Commission will agree to a bloc-wide exemption or continue pursuing individual bilateral arrangements with Western Balkan nations.[Al Jazeera]
  • Whether the drivers will fully execute the border blockade on September 14 depends on the outcome of negotiations prior to the deadline.[Al Jazeera]

Sources