Road transport operators from the Western Balkans are raising concerns over the impact of the EU’s 90/180-day Schengen rule, which limits the amount of time non-EU citizens can spend within the Schengen Area. Although the regulation itself is not new, stricter enforcement and legal interpretations could leave thousands of truck drivers unable to continue international deliveries after 10 August, when many are expected to reach their permitted stay limit.
Industry representatives warn that drivers from North Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Albania often spend weeks transporting goods across multiple EU member states. Since time spent carrying out deliveries also counts toward the 90-day limit, many professional drivers risk exhausting their allowed stay despite entering the EU solely for work.
Transport associations argue that the current rules fail to distinguish between tourists and professional freight drivers who are essential to maintaining European supply chains.
They are calling on Brussels to introduce a separate regime or exemption for commercial drivers, warning that failure to do so could result in labour shortages, delivery delays and increased transport costs throughout the region and the European Union.
The issue is particularly significant for the Western Balkans, whose economies are heavily dependent on exports to EU markets. A large share of regional goods-including food products, industrial equipment and automotive components-is transported by road, making truck drivers a critical link in regional trade.
The debate also highlights one of the unintended consequences of European integration. While the EU has worked to facilitate trade with candidate countries, regulatory differences in labour mobility continue to create practical obstacles for businesses operating across borders. Industry groups argue that resolving the issue would benefit both Western Balkan transport companies and European businesses that rely on efficient cross-border logistics
