Danish customs reverses border opening hours after truck queue chaos

Denmark’s customs authority has temporarily reinstated longer opening hours at the Padborg border crossing after new restrictions caused up to six-hour delays for trucks, DR reports.

The customs office had reduced its operating hours from March 1, closing entirely on weekends after 4 PM, as part of government plans to cut state administration costs by at least 5.5 billion kroner by 2030. But following severe congestion and industry criticism, the authority reversed the changes on Friday, March 13.

Transport companies warned that the restrictions disrupted supply chains, increased costs, and made it difficult for drivers to comply with EU working-hour regulations. David Nees Kynde, country manager for logistics firm Ancotrans, said the delays created “enormous costs” and reduced capacity, while customers faced unreliable delivery times.

Jesper Schimann Hansen, director of Padborg Transport Center, welcomed the temporary reversal but expressed concern over long-term uncertainty. “It’s still unclear what will happen going forward. That creates insecurity,” he said.

Skatteminister Ane Halsboe-Jørgensen defended the cost-cutting measures, stating that balancing efficiency with service levels remains a priority. “I don’t want the number of state employees to just keep rising,” she said, while acknowledging the need to “find the right balance.”

The customs authority declined to comment further, citing ongoing data review before finalizing future opening hours.