Why do French customs search Flix Buses?

8/1/2022 8:53:00 AM

Apart from random checks which can happen anytime, there are also temporary border controls throughout the Schengen area. The list of temporary border controls is on the official website and the list of notification includes France. It says the following:

France (1 May 2022 – 31 October 2022)
Continuous terrorist threat, secondary movements; all internal borders

So currently they are having checks with increased frequencies from normal times.

You can check the notifications regarding that here:

https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/schengen-borders-and-visa/schengen-area/temporary-reintroduction-border-control_en

7/30/2022 8:28:29 PM

First, the Schengen Area only has an influence on immigration-related checks (passports, visas…). Anything related to goods is for customs, not immigration.

Next, even though in the EU systematic checks at the internal borders have been abolished, customs actually have extended powers at any international facilities (train stations etc.) and within 100 km of borders, where they can operate random checks as they please.

I do see regularly random customs checks in my local train station in Reims, which isn’t on any international route whatsoever, but is about 80 km from the border.

Of course they will more often target routes where they are more likely to find smuggling (of drugs, cigarettes, alcohol, cash, fakes…)

7/31/2022 2:36:43 PM

They might be looking for drugs indeed, also people who are either staying illegally (overstayed their visa, entered with someone else’s passport and have no visa or permit, living and working in a country with a permit from another country), or asylum seekers who applied to have their status recognized in one country but would rather live in another one.

I could write a lot about the legalities and politics of it but that would be a bit off topic here. As a practical matter, that’s the reality of the Schengen area since circa 2015: common visa area, no visible border facilities and open road traffic, minimal formalities for air traffic, ostensibly random checks targetting cheap public transportation and the poor generally, almost systematic checks on some borders (e.g. between France and Italy).

If my experience is anything to go by, all those checks have become more (and not less) frequent over the years. Whether they are legally permitted or whether France is stretching the rules is a matter of interpretation but it’s a fact that the original implementation of the Schengen area did make for even more open borders.

7/30/2022 8:20:26 PM

Why are these checks done?

Looking for illegal goods, criminals, people without the proper visa/paperwork.

https://www.estrepublicain.fr/faits-divers-justice/2022/06/02/les-passagers-d-un-car-flixbus-controles-par-les-douanes-de-franche-comte

Ces interventions, qui sont menées partout en Europe, sont destinées à repérer des ressortissants étrangers sans titre de séjour ou à lutter contre le trafic de stupéfiants, de marchandises volées ou de reproductions.

Translation:

These interventions, which are carried out everywhere in Europe, are intended to identify foreign nationals without residence permits or to fight against the trafficking of narcotics, stolen goods or reproductions

Credit:stackoverflow.com‘

About me

Hello,My name is Aparna Patel,I’m a Travel Blogger and Photographer who travel the world full-time with my hubby.I like to share my travel experience.

Search Posts

Latest posts

Popular posts