Tourists could face more traffic jams and delays when travelling to France from Schengen-area countries.
The French government introduced border controls over the summer, as they beefed up security ahead of the Paris Olympic Games.
Enhanced checks were carried out at France’s Schengen borders with Belgium, Spain, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Germany and Italy.
The temporary measures were supposed to last until October 31 and were introduced due to heightened terrorist threats.
However, Emmanuel Macron’s government has now decided to extend the stricter controls until April 20 2025.
The extension comes as concerns grow over public safety amid threats of terrorist activity and criminal organisations connected to illegal migration.
All travellers entering France from the above-mentioned countries will have to show either a passport or national ID card – despite being part of the border-free area.
British people living in France may need to show their carte de séjour too.
Normally people can travel freely without any checks across international borders in the Schengen area.
The Schengen area was created in 1985 and now includes 25 of the 27 EU member states plus four others, including Switzerland and Norway.
Germany was one of the first EU countries to reintroduce border checks along its border with Austria.
The move has led to considerable delays at the border, adding at least 30 minutes to car journeys from Innsbruck to Munich.
Germany has since decided to tighten controls at every one of its land borders, in an attempt to control illegal immigration.
Critics slammed the move as politically motivated and claimed it will bring an end to the Schengen area.
Gerald Knaus, the chair of the European Stability Initiative think tank, also questioned the measure’s efficacy.
“Internal border controls that are intended to have any effect mean the end of Schengen,” Knaus said on X.
They would also require “federal border protection and fences around Germany” and, moreover, “will fail if neighbours are not interested in participating,” he said.
