The Schengen Area comprises the territories of twenty-six European countries that have implemented the Schengen Agreement signed in the town of Schengen, Luxembourg, in 1985. The Schengen Area operates very much like a single state for international travel with border controls for those travelling in and out of the area, but with no internal border controls.
The Schengen rules were absorbed into European Union law by the Amsterdam Treaty in 1999, although the area officially includes four non-EU member states—Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland—and de facto includes three European micro-states—Monaco, San Marino, and the Vatican. All but two EU member states—Ireland and the United Kingdom—are required to implement Schengen and, with the exceptions of Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Romania, have already done so. The area currently covers a population of over 400 million people and an area of 4,312,099 square kilometres (1,664,911 sq mi).[1]
Implementing the Schengen rules involves eliminating border controls with other Schengen members while simultaneously strengthening border controls with non-member states. The rules include provisions on a common policy on the temporary entry of persons (including the Schengen visa), the harmonisation of external border controls, and cross-border police and judicial co-operation.
Whether a passport or an EU approved national identity card is required for identity checks done at airports, hotels, or by police, depends on national rules and varies between countries. Occasionally, regular border controls are used between Schengen countries.
The Schengen Area came in existence on 26 March 1995 when the Schengen Agreement along with its implementing convention was implemented by seven EU member states.[2] During the negotiations which led up to the signing of the Amsterdam Treaty in 1997, EU leaders agreed to bring the Schengen Agreement, Convention and the rules created under them into the main body of EU law, the acquis communautaire; thus bringing a project which had developed outside the framework of the EU into the EU mainstream. This duly happened with the entrance into force of the Amsterdam Treaty in 1999.
The Schengen Area currently consists of twenty-six states, all but four of which are members of the European Union (EU). Two of the non-EU members, Iceland and Norway, are part of the Nordic Passport Union and are officially classified as states associated with the Schengen activities of the EU.[3] The third, Switzerland was subsequently allowed to participate in the same manner in 2008. The fourth, Liechtenstein joined on 19 December 2011, becoming the newest member of the Schengen Area.[4] De facto, the Schengen Area also includes several microstates that maintain open or semi-open borders with Schengen countries.[5] Two EU members—Ireland and the United Kingdom—negotiated opt-outs from Schengen and continue to operate systematic border controls between themselves and other EU member states.
Before fully implementing the Schengen rules, each state needs to have its preparedness assessed in four areas: air borders, visas, police cooperation, and personal data protection. This evaluation process involves a questionnaire and visits by EU experts to selected institutions and workplaces in the country under assessment
The Schengen rules were absorbed into European Union law by the Amsterdam Treaty in 1999, although the area officially includes four non-EU member states—Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland—and de facto includes three European micro-states—Monaco, San Marino, and the Vatican. All but two EU member states—Ireland and the United Kingdom—are required to implement Schengen and, with the exceptions of Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Romania, have already done so. The area currently covers a population of over 400 million people and an area of 4,312,099 square kilometres (1,664,911 sq mi).[1]
Implementing the Schengen rules involves eliminating border controls with other Schengen members while simultaneously strengthening border controls with non-member states. The rules include provisions on a common policy on the temporary entry of persons (including the Schengen visa), the harmonisation of external border controls, and cross-border police and judicial co-operation.
Whether a passport or an EU approved national identity card is required for identity checks done at airports, hotels, or by police, depends on national rules and varies between countries. Occasionally, regular border controls are used between Schengen countries.
The Schengen Area came in existence on 26 March 1995 when the Schengen Agreement along with its implementing convention was implemented by seven EU member states.[2] During the negotiations which led up to the signing of the Amsterdam Treaty in 1997, EU leaders agreed to bring the Schengen Agreement, Convention and the rules created under them into the main body of EU law, the acquis communautaire; thus bringing a project which had developed outside the framework of the EU into the EU mainstream. This duly happened with the entrance into force of the Amsterdam Treaty in 1999.
The Schengen Area currently consists of twenty-six states, all but four of which are members of the European Union (EU). Two of the non-EU members, Iceland and Norway, are part of the Nordic Passport Union and are officially classified as states associated with the Schengen activities of the EU.[3] The third, Switzerland was subsequently allowed to participate in the same manner in 2008. The fourth, Liechtenstein joined on 19 December 2011, becoming the newest member of the Schengen Area.[4] De facto, the Schengen Area also includes several microstates that maintain open or semi-open borders with Schengen countries.[5] Two EU members—Ireland and the United Kingdom—negotiated opt-outs from Schengen and continue to operate systematic border controls between themselves and other EU member states.
Before fully implementing the Schengen rules, each state needs to have its preparedness assessed in four areas: air borders, visas, police cooperation, and personal data protection. This evaluation process involves a questionnaire and visits by EU experts to selected institutions and workplaces in the country under assessment
