Schengen Agreement

The Schengen Agreement signed on June 14, 1985, is a treaty that led most of the European countries towards the abolishment of their national borders, to build a Europe without borders known as the “Schengen Area”. Signed in Luxemburg, initially by only five EU countries, the agreement remains one of the world’s biggest areas that have ended border control between member countries.

History of the Schengen Agreement

The concept for free movement between the European countries is very old and it can be found through the middle ages. Whereas, in modern times this idea has discoursed ever since Europe suffered detriment resulted from the 2nd World War. However, concrete actions in this regard only took place during the 80s, as Europe was stuck inside an everlasting debate of two opposing fragments: the one that was supporting the idea of free Europe with no internal border checks amongst countries, and the other part that was absolutely against it.

France and Germany are the two pioneering countries to take the initial step as regards of free movement concept, steps that were even more concrete, as they commonly agreed to move this over-debated concept into the next level. These two countries on 17 June 1984 were the first ones to bring out the abovementioned topic within the framework of the European Council in Fontainebleau where they all approved to define required conditions for the free movement of citizens.

As a final point of this journey, what it came to be “The Schengen Agreement” – covering the gradual abolishment of the internal borders between countries and extended control of the external borders, was only signed on 14 June 1985. The Agreement was signed by the five (5) following European countries: France, Germany, Belgium, Luxemburg, and the Netherlands, in Schengen, a small village in Southern Luxemburg on the river Moselle.

signing the Schengen Agreement

14 June 1985 – signing the Schengen Agreement: Catherine Lalumière (France), Waldemar Schreckenberger (Germany), Paul De Keersmaeker (Belgium), Robert Goebbels (Luxemburg) & Wim van Eekelen (Netherland).

Five years later, on 19 June 1990, a Convention was signed for the concrete implementation of the Schengen Agreement. This convention covered issues on the abolition of internal border controls, the definition of procedures for issuing a uniform visa, operation of a single database for all members known as SIS – Schengen Information System as well as the establishment of a cooperating structure between internal and immigration officers.

This way, the Schengen Area concept experienced an incessant expansion, as on 27 November 1990 Italy, on 25 June 1991 Portugal and Spain and on 6 November 1992, Greece joined.

Despite that Schengen Agreement – including treaties and rules were established, the real implementation of the Schengen Area finally started on 26 March 1995, where seven Schengen member countries: France, Germany, Belgium, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain decided to abolish their internal border checks.

Since then, the Schengen Area breathed a fast developing and expanding trend. Thus, on 28 April 1995 Austria, on 19 December 1996 Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden were new five countries to join. On the other hand, led by a sample of seven aforementioned countries, in October Italy and in December 1997 Austria abolished their internal border controls.

Another major progress shown by the Schengen Agreement was when in May 1999 “The Treaty of Amsterdam” incorporated the agreement inside the legal framework of the European Union, as in the past the Schengen treaties and rules set by the agreement were not part of the European Union and were operating autonomously.

The enlargement of the Schengen Area continued its prosperous journey as in January 2000 Greece and March 2001 Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Iceland, Norway, on 16 April 2003 Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia and in October 2004 Switzerland were the new fifteen countries (15) that joined. This successful story did not end there, as in December 2007 the same nations declared the abolishment of their land and sea, and in March 2008 of the airport border controls.

In February 2008, Liechtenstein was the 26th and the last country so far to sign the Schengen Agreement and become part of the Schengen Area.

In December 2008, Switzerland abolished land, and in March 2009, the airport border controls.

In December 2011, after three years of signing the Schengen Agreement Liechtenstein declared its internal border control abolishment.

In 2023, Croatia became the latest member to join the Schengen Agreement. The final sign-in came after many years of Croatia being a potential member to join the Schengen Area. Due to previous concerns about illegal immigrants entering through Croatia, some Member States expressed doubts about allowing the country to join the Agreement. But, finally, in January 2023, after a few years of consideration, Croatia officially entered the Schengen Zone.