Schengenraums

Schengenraums, commonly called the Schengen Area in English, is a zone of European states that have largely abolished routine border checks at their mutual borders. Inside the area, people can move across most internal borders with little or no passport checks; external borders remain guarded, and a common visa policy applies. The arrangement also relies on close police and judicial cooperation and information sharing, notably through the Schengen Information System. It is not a separate state but a framework created by the Schengen Agreement and the Schengen Borders Code, implemented mainly through EU law and related accords with non-EU participants.

As of 2023, the Schengen Area comprises 27 states: 23 EU member states and four non-EU states that participate under Schengen rules—Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. Among EU members, Ireland, Cyprus, Romania, and Bulgaria remain outside Schengen; Croatia joined in 2023, bringing the total to 27 states in the area.

History and governance: The Schengen Agreement was signed in 1985 by five of the then member states (Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands) and entered into force in 1995. It was incorporated into EU law by the Amsterdam Treaty in 1999. The system is supported by the Schengen Borders Code and the Schengen Information System (SIS), providing rules for border checks, visa policy, and cross-border security cooperation. Temporary reintroduction of border controls can occur in response to security or migration concerns; external border controls remain at the perimeter.

Impact: The Schengen Area enables largely seamless travel and commerce across many European countries, but it also entails shared responsibility for border management, security, and asylum procedures within the territory.