Europe of free movement : the Schengen area.
Date: 2012-06-28
Institutions: Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs
Subjects: Schengen Agreement, Schengen Information System, citizens' Europe, freedom of movement, internal border of the EU

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Europe of 
free movement:  

The 
  Schengen 
area

Home Affairs

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Schengen area as of 19/12/2011

 EU Schengen States 
 Non-Schengen EU States 
 Non-EU Schengen States

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Bulgaria 
Switzerland  
Cyprus 
Czech Republic 
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Denmark 
Estonia 
Greece 
Spain 
Finland 
France 
Hungary 
Ireland 
Iceland 
Italy 
Liechtenstein 
Lithuania 
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Latvia 
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Norway 
Poland 
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Slovakia 
United Kingdom

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In 1985, the dismantling of internal border controls started across the 
European Union. The Schengen Agreement has made passport-free travel 
possible for over 400 million Europeans. From the initial five, the Schengen 
area now includes 26 countries. We make over 1.25 billion journeys as 
tourists every year, and we can visit our friends and relatives all over Europe 
without bureaucratic obstacles at internal borders. And for our economy, free 
movement is central to the success of the EU Single Market, and an important 
factor for European growth.

The creation of the Schengen area is one of the most tangible, popular and 
successful achievements of the EU - an achievement that we should cherish, 
protect and, where possible, improve.

The European Commission is working to reinforce the Schengen rules to make 
this cooperation more solid. For Schengen to work, EU States must trust each 
other. It is my firm commitment to protect that mutual trust, and use all 
instruments available for securing the free movement that we all cherish. 

Happy travelling!

Cecilia Malmström, Commissioner for Home Affairs 
Follow me on Twitter: @MalmstromEU

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The Schengen area guarantees free movement within a territory of 26 countries, home to more than 400 
million citizens.

An area without internal borders

Currently, the Schengen area consists of 26 European 
countries (of which 22 are EU States): Belgium, Czech 
Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, 
France, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, 
Malta, Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, 
Slovenia, Finland and Sweden, along with Iceland, 
Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

Being part of the area without controls at internal borders 
means that these countries:

•	

•	

no longer carry out border checks at their internal 
borders (i.e. borders between two Schengen States);
have stepped up controls, which must meet clearly 
defined criteria, at their external borders (i.e. borders 
between a Schengen State and a non-Schengen 
State).

Consequently, both EU citizens and non-EU nationals may 
freely move around within the Schengen area.

At internal borders …
… a person cannot be subjected to border checks.

… EU States have an obligation to remove all obstacles to the 
fluid flow of road traffic, such as unnecessary speed limits.

… police checks may be carried out, but only on the basis of 
police information about possible threats to public security and 
to combat cross-border crime.

… security checks may be carried out at ports and airports, but 
only to verify a person’s identity.

… a person who suspects that he or she has been subjected 
to an unlawful check may file a complaint to the European 
Commission: ec.europa.eu/eu_law/your_rights/your_rights_
forms_en.htm

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The United Kingdom and Ireland are not part of the 
Schengen area, but participate in certain aspects of 
Schengen cooperation, such as in police and judicial 
cooperation and the Schengen Information System. This 
means that a flight between Paris and Berlin is regarded 
as a domestic flight (not subject to border checks), 
whereas a flight between Paris and London or Dublin is 
subject to border checks.

The Schengen area was established by the 1985 

Schengen Agreement that set out the gradual abolition 
of checks at common borders. The Agreement was 
supplemented by the 1990 Schengen Implementing 
Convention that set out the final abolition of internal 
border controls, as well as a series of necessary 
accompanying measures. The Convention strengthened 
external border checks, defined procedures for issuing 
uniform visas, established the Schengen Information 
System, increased police cooperation at internal borders 
and improved action against drug trafficking.

How can a country join the 
Schengen area?
To join the Schengen area, countries must fulfil 
a list of pre-conditions, such as be able to:

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take responsibility for controlling the area’s 
external border on behalf of the other 
Schengen States and for issuing uniform 
short-stay visas (Schengen visas);

efficiently cooperate with the other 
Schengen States in order to maintain a 
high level of security once internal border 
controls are abolished;

apply the set of Schengen rules, such as 
rules on land, sea and air border controls, 
visa issuing, police cooperation and 
personal data protection;

connect to and use the Schengen 
Information System.

Applicant countries undergo an evaluation to 
ensure that they correctly apply the Schengen 
rules.

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A safe area

To ensure safety within the border-free area, Schengen 
States have increased police cooperation, in particular 
through hot pursuit and cross-border surveillance, as well 
as the Schengen Information System.

“Hot pursuit” allows police officers from one Schengen 
State, who catch criminals in the act of committing 
serious offences, to pursue the perpetrators across 
the border and detain them on the territory of another 
Schengen State.

As a corollary of hot pursuit, “cross-border surveillance” 
allows police officers to continue across the Schengen 
area’s internal borders their surveillance of persons 
suspected of taking part in a serious offence.

The Schengen rules still allow national authorities to 
exceptionally and temporarily reintroduce internal border 
controls in case of a serious threat to security. Since 
early 2012, discussions have been ongoing on a reform 
of the system in order to prevent any weaknesses in the 
management of the EU’s external border and to decide 
collectively at EU level when border controls at internal 
borders are to be reintroduced.

What is the Schengen 
Information System  
(SIS and SIS II)?
The Schengen Information System (SIS) is 
at the heart of Schengen cooperation. It is 
an information system that allows national 
border control, customs and police authorities 
responsible for checks within the Schengen 
area to circulate alerts about wanted or missing 
people or stolen vehicles and documents. SIS 
therefore compensates for the abolition of 
internal border controls and enables the free 
movement of people within the Schengen area.

At present, work is underway on a second 
generation Schengen Information System 
(SIS II) to replace SIS. SIS II will benefit from 
the latest IT developments, providing new 
and enhanced functionalities, including the 
possibility to store photographs and biometric 
identifiers, such as fingerprints.

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The Schengen area is encircled by 42 673 km of sea borders and 7 721 km of land borders.

An area with a common external border

Nationals from certain non-EU countries need a visa to 
cross the Schengen area’s external border and enter into 
a Schengen State. The Schengen rules include common 
procedures and conditions for issuing a Schengen visa, 
which is valid within the entire Schengen area. This visa 

At external borders …
… EU nationals and their family members 
undergo minimum checks to verify their 
identities on the basis of travel documents.

… non-EU nationals must present a valid travel 
document and a visa, if required, as well as 
documents justifying the purpose of and means 
of subsistence for their stay.

allows for three-month stays in the territory of Schengen 
States during a six-month period.

The Schengen rules also include a Local Border Traffic 
Regime, which facilitates the crossing of the EU’s external 
border by non-EU nationals residing in the border area. EU 
States may draw up agreements with their neighbouring 
non-EU countries that allow the border residents who 
frequently need to cross the external border to do so 
without having to undergo regular border checks or 
without needing a Schengen visa.

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What does it mean for travellers?

Europeans make over 1.25 billion journeys as tourists every year within the Schengen area.

What if I’m from an EU State?

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Francesca is an Italian student who 
dreams of visiting Sweden with her 
friends. She has already bought her 
inter-rail ticket, but she does not know 
which travel documents she needs 
or whether she has to comply with 
any special legal formalities. As an 
EU citizen, Francesca has the right to 
enter all EU States on the presentation 
of a valid passport or identity card, but she will not need 
to show it when travelling within the Schengen area. 
However, she has to carry a valid passport or identity 
card, because the authorities may require her to prove her 
identity. 

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Peter is Austrian. He wants to go to 
Norway, but wonders whether the 
same rules on visas and passports 
apply to Norway as to EU States. 
Although Norway is not part of the 
EU, it is a member of the European 
Economic Area and of Schengen. 

Therefore, Peter will only need to carry a valid passport 
or identity card in order to be able to prove his identity, if 
asked.

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Danuta is Polish and works in 
Brussels. Next month she has to 
participate in a business meeting 
that will take place in Warsaw, her 
hometown, where her parents live. 
She wants to take her baby Eva 
with her to spend some time with 
her parents. As citizens of the EU, Danuta and Eva have 

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the right to travel anywhere in the EU and the Schengen 
area. Their right does not depend on their circumstances, 
i.e. whether they are travelling for professional or private 
reasons. Danuta only has to make sure that both she and 
Eva have their own individual passport or identity card.

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Angel is Spanish. He flies to Bulgaria 
every month to visit his girlfriend. 
Although Bulgaria is a member of the 
EU, it is not yet part of the Schengen 
area – this is also the case for four 
other EU States (Ireland, Cyprus, 

Romania and the United Kingdom). This means that when 
going to and coming from Bulgaria, he will have to show 
his passport and undergo the normal, minimum border 
controls for EU citizens.

Did you know that …
… practical information about travelling in 
Europe can be found on Your Europe portal: 
ec.europa.eu/youreurope

...Europe Direct Contact Centre answers 
questions via telephone (00 800 67 89 10 11) 
and e-mail: europa.eu/europedirect

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In 2010, over 11 million Schengen visas were issued for non-EU travellers to the Schengen area.

What if I’m from a non-EU country?

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Martine is a Canadian student who 
won a scholarship that will allow her 
to spend two months at the Sorbonne 
University in Paris to carry out research 
for her thesis. Before going back to 
Canada, she would like to travel for 
three weeks throughout Greece, Spain 
and Italy. As a citizen of a non-EU country, Martine may 
enter and travel within the territory of the countries 
applying the Schengen provisions in full (such as Greece, 
Spain and Italy) for up to three months, as long as she 
fills certain entry conditions. In the first place, she needs a 
valid passport. She must also be able to demonstrate the 
purpose of her journey, that she has the means to live in 
Europe for three months and that she has already bought 
her return ticket (or that she has enough money to buy 
one). As a Canadian citizen, Martine is exempt from the 

short-stay visa requirement.

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Punjit is from India. He is planning 
to spend his holidays visiting several 
Schengen States: Greece, Spain, France 
and Italy. He will stay in Europe for a 
month. Punjit needs a short-stay visa to 
go to Europe because India belongs to 
the list of those non-EU countries whose nationals must 
have a visa when crossing the Schengen area’s external 
border. Since Punjit does not have a main destination, he 
should apply for a visa at the embassy or consulate of the 
EU State where he will stay the longest or that is his first 

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point of entry into the Schengen area. That single visa will 
allow him to move throughout the Schengen area.

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Hisham is Tunisian. He lives in Germany 
and spends his holidays with his parents 
in Tunisia. On his way back, he would 
like to go visit his brother in Portugal.  
He has a valid residence permit issued by 
Germany, which belongs to the Schengen 
area. This residence permit, together  

with a travel document, ensures that he does not need to 
apply for a Schengen visa. As a non-EU national, Hisham 
can enter Portugal, another Schengen State, for a short 
stay without a visa simply by showing his passport and 
the German-issued residence permit. If Hisham had a 
residence permit issued by Ireland or the United Kingdom, 
he would not be able to enter a Schengen State, since 
these two countries do not participate in the Schengen 
area. In such a case, he would need a short-stay visa to 
go to Portugal.

Solinas is Bolivian. She would like to 
move to Spain because she has found 
a job in Madrid. As Solinas is planning 
to stay in Madrid for more than three 
months, she needs a long-term visa or 
residence permit. It is up to Schengen 
States to set their own requirements for 
issuing long-stay visas and resident permits.

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Did you know that …
… a regularly updated list of countries whose nationals must hold a visa to enter the Schengen area can be found 
on the DG Home Affairs website: ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/doc_centre/borders/borders_visa_en.htm

… a Schengen visa application must be lodged at the consulate of the EU State of destination, which can also 
provide detailed information about the application procedure.

… practical information can be found on the EU Immigration Portal: ec.europa.eu/immigration

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Key dates

The Schengen Agreement was named after a small village in Luxembourg that is located 
on the point where its borders meet those of Germany and France. Having started as an 
initiative between governments, Schengen cooperation is now incorporated into EU laws 
and rules.

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17 June 1984
To boost up the process 
of European integration, 
Belgium, Germany, France 
Luxembourg and the 
Netherlands came together to 
define the conditions needed 
to ensure real freedom 
of movement for citizens, 
which led to the Schengen 
Agreement.

14 June 1985
Schengen Agreement on the 
gradual abolition of checks 
at their common borders 
signed by Belgium, Germany, 
France, Luxembourg and the 
Netherlands.

19 June 1990
Convention implementing 
the Schengen Agreement 
signed by the same 
countries, confirming the 
arrangements and safeguards 
for implementing freedom 
of movement. It entered into 
force in 1995.

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

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More information …
… relating to Schengen laws and rules can be found on the DG Home Affairs website: 
http://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/doc_centre/borders/borders_schengen_en.htm.

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26 March 1995

Abolition of border controls 
between Belgium, Germany, 
Spain, France, Luxembourg, 
the Netherlands and Portugal.

26 October/ 
1 December 1997

First move towards the 
enlargement of the Schengen 
area: Italy and Austria 
gradually started to abolish 
their border controls. This 
process was completed in 
1998.

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

 
1 May 1999

29 May 2000

Integration of Schengen 
cooperation into the legal 
framework of the EU, 
following the entry into force 
of the Treaty of Amsterdam.

1 January 2000

Second move towards 
the enlargement of 
the Schengen area: 
Greece gradually started 
to abolish its border 
controls. This process 
was completed in March 
2000.

Council of the EU decided 
on the United Kingdom’s 
participation in some 
Schengen provisions. The 
United Kingdom is not part 
of the Schengen area, but 
participates in certain aspects 
of the Schengen rules built 
up over time, mainly in police 
and judicial cooperation. The 
United Kingdom’s formal 
participation in the approved 
areas of cooperation was put 
into practice in 2005.

28 February 2002

Council of the EU decided on 
Ireland’s request to take part 
in some aspects of Schengen.

25 March 2001

Abolition of border controls 
with Denmark, Finland, 
Iceland, Norway and Sweden.

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

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21 December 2007

12 December 2008

Abolition of border controls at 
land borders with Switzerland. 
Border checks on intra-
Schengen flights at airports 
were abolished in 2009.

Major enlargement of the 
Schengen area with the 
abolition of controls at land 
and sea borders with the 
Czech Republic, Estonia, 
Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, 
Malta, Poland, Slovenia and 
Slovakia. Border checks on 
intra-Schengen flights at 
airports were abolished in 
2008.

19 December 2011

Abolition of border controls 
with Liechtenstein.

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2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

 
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What happens next?
In 2011, the European Commission proposed 
to strengthen the Schengen area. This proposal 
includes a stronger EU-level system for evaluating 
EU States’ application of Schengen rules and for 
taking decisions on the temporary reintroduction of 
internal border controls in case of serious threats 
to public policy or internal security. Moreover, the 
Commission launched bi-annual debates with 
the European Parliament and the Council on the 
political governance of the Schengen area.

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

 
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