A method for controlling an adjusting movement of a power-operated adjustable vehicle closing element, via which a body opening of a vehicle can be closed and which can automatically be adjusted for clearing the body opening in the presence of an operating event, the method including the following steps: - monitoring at least one distant region in the surroundings of the vehicle by means of at least one first sensor element (3.1) of the vehicle, wherein via the at least one first sensor element (3.1) a person in the distant region is detectable in a contactless manner, - carrying out an authentification process in which the presence of a valid identification means in a defined surrounding region in the surroundings of the vehicle is checked when via the at least one first sensor element (3.1) a person has been detected in the distant region, - monitoring at least one nearby region in the surroundings of the vehicle by means of at least one second sensor element (3.2, 3.3) of the vehicle, which is different from the first sensor element (3.1), wherein ∘ an outermost edge of the nearby region is located closer to the vehicle than an outermost edge of the distant region, ∘ via the at least one second sensor element (3.2, 3.3) the occurrence of an operating event is detectable in a contactless manner, in which a person performs a particular movement in the monitored nearby region with a body part, and ∘ at least two spatially separate nearby regions (N1, N2) are monitored, in order to detect a movement to be assessed as operating event, wherein the at least one further nearby region is monitored by the first sensor element (3.1) which also monitors the distant region, and - adjusting the vehicle closing element (T, H) when one after the other a person is detected in the distant region, a valid identification means is detected in the surrounding region, and an operating event has been detected in the at least one nearby region. - monitoring at least one distant region in the surroundings of the vehicle by means of at least one first sensor element (3.1) of the vehicle, wherein via the at least one first sensor element (3.1) a person in the distant region is detectable in a contactless manner, - carrying out an authentification process in which the presence of a valid identification means in a defined surrounding region in the surroundings of the vehicle is checked when via the at least one first sensor element (3.1) a person has been detected in the distant region, - monitoring at least one nearby region in the surroundings of the vehicle by means of at least one second sensor element (3.2, 3.3) of the vehicle, which is different from the first sensor element (3.1), wherein ∘ an outermost edge of the nearby region is located closer to the vehicle than an outermost edge of the distant region, ∘ via the at least one second sensor element (3.2, 3.3) the occurrence of an operating event is detectable in a contactless manner, in which a person performs a particular movement in the monitored nearby region with a body part, and ∘ at least two spatially separate nearby regions (N1, N2) are monitored, in order to detect a movement to be assessed as operating event, wherein the at least one further nearby region is monitored by the first sensor element (3.1) which also monitors the distant region, and ∘ an outermost edge of the nearby region is located closer to the vehicle than an outermost edge of the distant region, ∘ via the at least one second sensor element (3.2, 3.3) the occurrence of an operating event is detectable in a contactless manner, in which a person performs a particular movement in the monitored nearby region with a body part, and ∘ at least two spatially separate nearby regions (N1, N2) are monitored, in order to detect a movement to be assessed as operating event, wherein the at least one further nearby region is monitored by the first sensor element (3.1) which also monitors the distant region, - adjusting the vehicle closing element (T, H) when one after the other a person is detected in the distant region, a valid identification means is detected in the surrounding region, and an operating event has been detected in the at least one nearby region.