The Schengen Area, which allows more than 400 million people to travel without internal border checks, was established on June 14, 1985, near the town of Schengen in Luxembourg. Initially signed by five of the ten European Economic Community member states, it has since expanded significantly and become an essential component of European unity. The Schengen Convention, established in 1990, provided the legal and operational mechanisms necessary for effective implementation. This legal framework included provisions for police and judicial cooperation, information-sharing between countries, and standardized visa policies.
In 1997, the Treaty of Amsterdam further integrated the Schengen rules into EU law, making them a central part of EU policies on border control and movement.
The Schengen Area is more than just a technical issue or a matter of authorities' actions and computer systems. It represents a fundamental aspect of our freedom and the European project. “If we want Europeans to support the EU, they need to see that the values they hold dear, especially concerning freedom, are preserved and upheld,” stated Minister Tomasz Siemoniak at a press briefing marking the 40th anniversary of the Schengen Area's establishment.
The event was attended by various officials, including Luxembourg's Minister of the Interior, Léon Gloden; the Executive Vice-President for Technological Sovereignty, Security and Democracy of the European Commission, Henna Virkkunen; and the EU Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner.
Minister Siemoniak emphasized the importance of the Schengen Area, stating, “As the Polish presidency in the Council of the European Union and as Poles, we believe that the freedom to travel, the absence of border checks, and everything that the Schengen Area embodies, are of great value to the millions of people who once lived behind the Iron Curtain. For them, not having passports meant they could not cross borders freely. Schengen is their dream come true.”
He also expressed happiness that recent months have seen new countries, specifically Bulgaria and Romania, join the Schengen Area.
As of January 1, 2025, the Schengen Area includes 29 members: 25 EU member states and 4 non-EU countries: Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. Cyprus is also part of Schengen, although internal border controls have not yet been lifted. Given the benefits of Schengen cooperation, Ireland has requested participation in certain Schengen areas, including the Schengen Information System and in judicial and police cooperation.
Millions of people cross the EU's internal borders every day. EU citizens can stay in another member state for up to three months for tourism purposes with a valid identity card. They can also live and work in other EU member states on the same terms as their nationals.
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SOURCE: IAR; gov.pl/web/mswia-en; European Commission