Schengen turns 40: Free movement in the EU still going strong

Brussels — Forty years since its creation, the Schengen area has profoundly benefited the EU and its citizens. It is the backbone for the EU’s internal market and facilitates the lives of almost 450 million people, the European Commission said in its fourth State of Schengen report, released yesterday (April 23) on its 40th anniversary, which reviews developments over the past year and sets out priorities for the year ahead.

Last year, Schengen was once again the most visited destination in the world, welcoming more than half a billion visitors and driving economic growth across the Union.

Over time, Schengen has evolved into “a robust and comprehensive system” in which member states, with the support of the Union, “are effectively managing external borders, security, and migration in a coordinated manner.”

In June, there will be an official celebration of this 40th anniversary, with the Schengen Council celebrating 40 years since the signing.

The full accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the Schengen area significantly strengthens the EU economy and “is proof that the Member States are fully engaged to further improve cooperation under Schengen,” the Commission said.

Furthermore, the Schengen requirements have become a crucial aspect of the EU enlargement process, as all candidate countries must have fully functioning national Schengen governance systems by the time they are admitted to the EU. And intensified EU efforts have led to a decline in irregular crossings at Schengen’s external borders, with around 240,000 detections – the lowest since 2021.

Therefore, the rules appear to be “well applied.” However, more work is needed on some aspects, such as increasing political collaboration and information exchange for the governance of the Agreement, speeding up digitization, adapting to new security challenges, and making repatriations for those who entered illegally effective.