Schengen: Council approves declaration to commemorate 40th anniversary and renew its commitment for the common travel area

The world’s largest area of free movement

Schengen has become the largest area of free movement which offers seamless mobility for more than 450 million Europeans. Two million people commute daily across internal borders. Schengen facilitates intra-EU trade which exceeded € 4 100 billion in 2024. Hundreds of millions of people legally cross the EU’s external borders every year. This makes the Schengen area the world’s most visited destination, attracting 40 % of international tourism.

Seven commitments to preserve and consolidate Schengen

In times of geopolitical instability and an evolving security landscape the EU is committed to continuing to invest in a common area without internal borders, ensuring strong external border management and a high degree of internal security.

Through seven commitments the Council will preserve and consolidate the functioning of the Schengen area. The commitments include:

• To promote and protect the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights in a single area of freedom, security and justice
• To defend the unfettered free movement of persons by ensuring that the reintroduction of internal border controls remains a measure of last resort and to take all appropriate measures with respect to external border management, secondary movements, migration, the return of those illegally staying as well as the prevention and combating of off-line and on-line cross border crime, terrorism, as well as emerging threats such as hybrid threats or cybercrime
• To develop and deepen law enforcement and interagency cooperation and to enhance the development and use of large-scale IT systems to ensure Schengen remains the backbone of European security cooperation that contributes to the security of its citizens
• To refuse entry and prevent unauthorised border crossings to those who have no right to enter, and return those who have no right to stay, in a humane and dignified manner
• To reinforce the external dimension of Schengen including through an effective visa policy, border management and effective cooperation with third countries on return and readmission
• To uphold a high level of mutual trust between member states and to address jointly the challenges faced by the Schengen area
• To invest in a solid and well-functioning Schengen – through appropriate funding, human-centred innovation and new technologies, proactive action

Background

On 14 June 1985, five countries – Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands – signed the Schengen Agreement. The goal was to gradually remove controls at the internal borders and to allow freedom of movement for their citizens. The practical arrangements for abolishing border controls – and strengthening the protection of the common external borders – were set out in the Schengen Convention from 1990. The Convention entered into force in 1995 and led to the actual removal of border controls between the five countries – as well as Spain and Portugal who had joined in the meantime.

Since then the Schengen area without controls at internal borders has only grown and now consists of 29 countries. All EU member states except for Cyprus and Ireland plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

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  The Schengen area explained (background information)
  
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  40 Years and Beyond – Schengen Declaration – A Joint Commitment to Freedom, Security and Justice, 12 June 2025