(AA Photo)
Turkish truck drivers transporting goods between Türkiye and the European Union have increasingly been turned back at border crossings in recent months due to the Schengen area’s 90/180-day rule, creating disruptions for road freight transport and trade flows.
The issue affects a significant share of Türkiye’s exports to the EU, nearly half of which are transported by road. Reports of drivers being denied entry at border checkpoints, including Italy’s Trieste and the Kapıkule crossing on the Bulgarian border, have raised concerns among transport operators and exporters.
Some $111 billion worth of goods were transported by road to the European Union in 2025.
According to Şerafettin Aras, president of the International Transporters Association (UND), around 25,000 of Türkiye’s 50,000 international truck drivers have been affected by the restrictions.
Under Schengen rules, visa holders may spend no more than 90 days within any rolling 180-day period in the bloc. Aras said commercial drivers inevitably reach that limit because of time spent loading and unloading cargo as well as waiting at border crossings.
Aras said the problem extends beyond the transport sector, noting that nearly half of Türkiye’s exports are destined for EU countries and that 42 percent of those shipments travel by road.
“Fifty percent of exporting companies producing in Türkiye are European-owned firms. We transport their products. Turkish drivers also provide transport services to destinations where EU trucks do not operate. This is not only a problem for Türkiye but also a situation that negatively affects the foreign trade of EU countries,” he said.
Aras said inspections related to the rule had intensified at border crossings over the past two months, forcing changes in transport routes. He added that the restrictions were affecting not only trade between Türkiye and the EU but also freight movements from Europe to third countries.
“Now there are substantial shipments from the EU to Syria, Saudi Arabia and Dubai. Turkish transport companies carry out these operations. However, because of the Schengen rule, this trade cannot be conducted as it should be,” he said.
While transport contracts contain penalty clauses for delivery delays, Aras said the current situation is being treated as a force majeure event.
“There are order cancellations at the moment. It is possible that cancellations will increase in the coming days. Official discussions on the issue are continuing. For a solution, commercial vehicle drivers should not be treated under the same framework as tourists. A D-type visa is necessary,” he said.
A D-type national visa allows foreign nationals to stay in a country for more than 90 days for purposes such as work, education or family reunification.
