Another carriers’ protest is looming. Possible blockade of 16 border crossings – full list

Serbian and regional road haulage organisations are announcing a blockade of freight transport at border crossings with the European Union. The protest is scheduled to begin on 26 January and, as the organisers emphasise, it is not time-limited at this stage. The reason for the protest is the implementation of the EU Entry-Exit System (EES).

According to reports by Serbian media, the initiator of the action is the Serbian Association of International Road Hauliers (PUMED), which represents approximately 1,800 transport companies. Carriers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and North Macedonia are also expected to join the protest.

The protests will begin simultaneously at the following border crossings:
◾ Batrovci (Serbia - Croatia)
◾ Srpska Crnja (Serbia - Romania)
◾ Šid (Serbia - Croatia)
◾ Vatin (Serbia - Romania)
◾ Neštin (Serbia - Croatia)
◾ Đerdap (Serbia - Romania)
◾ Bačka Palanka (Serbia - Croatia)
◾ Gradina (Serbia - Bulgaria)
◾ Bogojewo (Serbia - Croatia)
◾ Bezdan (Serbia - Croatia)
◾ Bački Breg (Serbia - Hungary)
◾ Kelebija (Serbia - Hungary)
◾ Horgoš (Serbia - Hungary)
◾ Vrška Čuka (Serbia - Bulgaria)
◾ Strezimirovci (Serbia - Bulgaria)
◾ Preševo (Serbia - North Macedonia)

The protests are expected to last at least seven days, with the possibility of suspension should guarantees be provided regarding a meeting with representatives of the European Commission, in which both government officials and representatives of the transport industry could participate.

The direct cause of the protest is the implementation of the EU Entry-Exit System (EES), which is scheduled to become fully operational on 10 April. According to carriers’ organisations, the system will:
- significantly extend border procedures for drivers from non-EU countries,
- hinder the performance of international road transport operations,
- in practice treat professional drivers as tourists, subjecting them to the same Schengen stay limits (the 90/180-day rule),
- potentially lead to transport paralysis and delivery delays.
Carriers stress that they have repeatedly appealed to EU institutions to introduce special solutions for professional drivers, but in their view these demands have not been taken into account.

In response to the protest announcements, representatives of the European Commission emphasise that the EES does not introduce new rules on length of stay, but is intended solely to ensure more effective enforcement of existing regulations governing the entry and exit of third-country nationals to and from the Schengen Area. At the same time, the Commission states that it is monitoring the situation; however, no changes to the EES implementation timetable have been announced so far.