North Macedonia driver mobility issues in Europe

In mid‑July 2026, North Macedonia’s transport ministry announced that bilateral talks had produced long‑term work visas for professional drivers in six Schengen states – Switzerland, Croatia, Romania, Slovenia, Austria and Germany. The agreements were meant to overcome EU entry‑exit limits that would have confined drivers to about 15 days per month in the Schengen zone and responded to protests from transport groups.

Later that month, a separate dispute emerged with Italy, where authorities ceased recognising the newly formatted Macedonian driver’s licences. Rental‑car companies began refusing Macedonian customers and expatriates could not exchange their licences without retaking a test, despite the change not being linked to the country’s name. Both governments entered fresh bilateral negotiations to restore mutual licence recognition.

Overall, the period shows Macedonia pursuing multiple diplomatic tracks to secure broader road‑access rights for its drivers across Europe, tackling both visa provisions and licence acceptance.