On 2 June 2026, the Commission issued opinions on the temporary reintroduction of internal border controls by nine EU Member States: Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia and Sweden. The Commission recommended that the Member States concerned work towards phasing out and gradually lifting internal border controls, making full use of available alternative measures and intensifying regional cooperation. The Commission stressed that, while the situation in each Member State is different, several common key issues could be identified.

It pointed out, inter alia, that the upcoming entry into application of the Pact on Migration and Asylum will reinforce the management of the EU's external borders and provide Member States with more effective tools to address unauthorised movements within the Schengen area. The Commission also believes that the new EU information systems - the Entry-Exit System (which has been fully applicable since April 2026) and the future rollout of the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) - will improve oversight of movements across the EU's external borders, and thus support the monitoring of persons entering and leaving the Union and crossing borders. The Commission ultimately calls on EU Member States to increase the use of non-systematic police checks or mobile biometric identification and vehicle tracking technologies as effective alternatives to internal border controls. The Member States should gradually replace border checks with alternative solutions.

According to the Schengen law (the Schengen Borders Code), a Member State can reintroduce internal border controls in view of addressing a serious threat to public policy or internal security, when this is necessary and proportionate. In principle, the maximum duration of border controls at internal borders shall not exceed two years. The Commission is obliged under the Schengen Borders Code to assess the necessity and proportionality of the prolonged internal border checks (over 12 months for the same reason). This has been done now by the opinions.