Western Balkan truck drivers will hold coordinated protests on January 26, blocking freight terminals at border crossings with neighbouring Schengen countries, in protest against the European Union’s new digitalised Entry/Exit System (EES). The system, which replaces manual passport stamping with biometric data, automated checks and digital tracking of short stays, is scheduled to become fully operational on April 10.

The new system is expected to cause significant delays at borders and prolong customs procedures, according to a press release issued by the Serbian Association of International Road Hauliers, one of the lead organisers of the protest. The association also warns that the EES effectively classifies professional drivers who spend more than 90 days within a 180-day period in the EU as illegal workers, a situation that, it says, “results in further sanctions and places both drivers and transport companies in a state of constant uncertainty regarding their survival”, facing the risk of arrest, deportation and a sharply reduced ability to work.

The association spent the past two years of “constant appeals” attempting to reach an agreement with the European Commission, but without success, according to the press release. Similar concerns prompted protests by truck drivers in Bosnia & Herzegovina in September 2025.

The upcoming demonstrations, branded the “90/180” protests, were formally announced at a press conference on January 16 by representatives of the Serbian Association of International Road Hauliers, the Logistics Consortium of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Association of International Cargo Carriers of Montenegro.

In a statement posted on its official Facebook page, the Serbian Association of International Road Hauliers said it is demanding a clear legal distinction between “working” and “staying” in the EU, recognition of drivers’ right to work across borders and legal security that would protect drivers from arrest or deportation while performing their jobs.

The association warned that if the rules are implemented without changes, Western Balkan transport companies could face a severe driver shortage by mid-April. They say this would lead to a “complete collapse of the supply chain”, and have far-reaching consequences for regional economies.

Road freight transport is an economic lifeline for the Western Balkans, underpinning an estimated €83bn in annual trade with the EU in 2024, with most goods moved by road. The sector accounts for around 2.4% of GDP in both Serbia and Bosnia. In Serbia alone, the industry is valued at more than €2bn, supporting over 4,000 businesses and tens of thousands of workers, according to market research firm IBISWorld.

The impact is already being felt. Many transport companies have already been forced to re-register in neighbouring EU member states such as Croatia and Slovenia in order to continue operating.

According to the press release, the protests are expected to last at least a week and will begin simultaneously at multiple Serbian border crossings with Schengen countries. These include crossings with Croatia along Serbia’s north-western border (including Batrovci, Nestin, Bačka Palanka, Bezdan, Bogojevo), with Hungary to the north (Bački Breg, Kelebija, Horgoš), Romania to the east (Srpska Crnja, Vatin, Djerdap), and Bulgaria to the southeast (Strezimirovci, Vrska Cuka, Gradina). 

During a press briefing on January 19, a spokesperson for the European Commission said in response to the protests that the Entry/Exit System does not introduce new rules but is designed to ensure more effective enforcement of existing ones. The Commission said it is ”monitoring the situation and remains in contact with Western Balkan partners”, noting that there is room for “inbuilt flexibility,” particularly regarding cross-border workers. However, no changes to the EES implementation timeline have so far been announced.