ED4BG 2015: 30 years of Schengen – was it worth it?

ED4BG 2015: 30 years of Schengen – was it worth it?

ED4BG 2015: 30 years of Schengen – was it worth it?

Almost 30 years ago, in June 1985, five members of the European Economic Community signed an agreement on the gradual abolition of checks at their common borders. Schengen a small town in Luxembourg, after which the agreement is named, made its place in the history. One of four freedoms promised to the citizens by the Treaty of Rome started to materialise.

After five years Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands reconfirmed their political will by defining the rules of cooperation allowing to make the abolishment of borders reality.

Today, the Schengen area extends over 26 countries, including non-EU member states, citizens enjoy freedom of circulation making 1.25 billion journeys within the area every year. Creation of the area of free movement of people is seen as one of the biggest achievements of the European Union.

In recent years however the Schengen system has been challenged by some of the member states. Some of them expressed the will to introduce quasi-border controls inside the zone others were even appealing to give Schengen up. The notion of national security and sovereignty has been rezoning well within European societies since the financial crisis hit EU economies in 2008.

Discussion about the state of Schengen is timely, not only because European institutions will be discussing security and migration agendas soon, but also because of the changes in the EU’s close neighbourhood: Northern Africa, Middle East and Ukraine. Migration, territorial borders, security concepts are ever evolving. Does the Schengen concept born in the times of the Cold War and developed during the nineties still stand? Or will the fear of instability, and perception of security deficit change it?