Western Balkan truckers threaten EU border blockade over Schengen rules

Truck drivers from four Western Balkan countries are threatening to block crossings into the European Union on September 14, turning a dispute over travel rules into a potential regional trade crisis.

Hundreds of drivers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and North Macedonia gathered on Monday to demand changes to rules that limit non-EU drivers to 90 days in the Schengen area during any 180-day period. They say the restriction prevents them from working normally and want an exemption that applies across the entire Schengen zone.

The dispute has grown more difficult since the EU’s Entry/Exit System became operational in April. The system electronically records when non-EU nationals enter and leave, making it easier to monitor how long truck drivers remain in the zone. The Schengen area includes 25 EU countries, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

The European Commission has said it is in contact with Western Balkan partners. One proposal under discussion would use bilateral agreements between individual countries and EU member states. North Macedonia has already reached arrangements with Croatia, Switzerland and Romania, with further agreements expected. Drivers say those measures do not go far enough and have called for a solution covering all Schengen countries.

The stakes extend beyond trucking. The EU accounted for more than 60 percent of Western Balkan trade last year. Serbia recorded more than 39 billion euros in foreign trade during the first half of this year, with 58 percent involving EU countries. Bosnia and Herzegovina’s trade totaled 5.6 billion euros in the first quarter of 2026. A prolonged blockade could strand trucks, delay imports and exports, and increase costs for businesses and consumers. The region’s drivers already coordinated a freight blockade in January.