Belgium Reintroduces Border Checks Amid Rising Migration Concerns

Belgium plans to introduce targeted border checks this summer to help curb illegal migration, marking a significant shift within the Schengen Zone. This move reflects increasing pressure on European countries to reassess open-border policies. The decision was confirmed by a spokesperson for junior migration minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt and aligns with broader efforts seen in neighbouring nations such as Germany and the Netherlands.

The measures will be in place at several entry points into Belgium, which shares borders with France, Germany, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. According to an official government statement, inspections will be conducted “in a targeted manner” along key roads, bus routes, selected train services, and intra-Schengen flights originating from countries experiencing high migration pressures, including Greece and Italy.

“Time for entry controls. Belgium must not be a magnet for those stopped elsewhere… Belgium will no longer tolerate illegal migration and asylum shopping,” Van Bossuyt wrote on X.

This action is being undertaken under Article 23 of the Schengen Borders Code, which permits member states to temporarily reintroduce internal border checks in response to security or migration concerns.

Prime Minister Bart De Wever, who took office in February, has made migration control a top priority for his centre-right government. Belgium’s decision adds to a growing number of European countries tightening border regulations amid political pressure and strained asylum systems.

Although irregular crossings along major migration routes in Europe have decreased, Belgium has seen a noticeable rise in asylum applications. Data from the Federal Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers shows the country received 39,615 asylum requests in 2024, an increase of 11.6 per cent compared to 2023. However, with a capacity for only 35,600 applicants, Belgium faces considerable challenges in housing and managing new arrivals.