Celebrating 40 years of Schengen
Freedom and security
On 14 June 1985, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands came together in the town of Schengen and agreed to gradually abolish checks at their internal borders.
They signed the Schengen Agreement, allowing for the free movement of people, goods, and services amongst themselves.
Where is Schengen?
With a population of over 5 200 the village of Schengen in Luxembourg has been on everyone's lips for 40 years.
©Getty Images | © Allard Schager
©Getty Images | © Allard Schager
Did you know?
Schengen is bordered by the Moselle, a river that is a shared territory between
Luxembourg, France, and Germany.
There is no better symbol of EU integration than this one.
What does Schengen mean today?
The Schengen area has blossomed into the world’s largest area of freedom and security.
©Getty Images | MARCEL MOCHET
©Getty Images | MARCEL MOCHET
Since 1985, it has expanded
9 times
©Getty Images | DANIEL MIHAILESCU
©Getty Images | DANIEL MIHAILESCU
Today, it counts
29 countries
©Getty Images | NurPhoto
©Getty Images | NurPhoto
It guarantees free movement to more than
450 million people
©Getty Images | Maskot
©Getty Images | Maskot
It is also a major driver of competitiveness for
32 million businesses
1985 - Signature of the Schengen Agreement by: Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.
1985 - Signature of the Schengen Agreement by: Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.
1995 - Creation of the Schengen area with the abolition of internal border controls between Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.
1995 - Creation of the Schengen area with the abolition of internal border controls between Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.
1997 - Abolition of internal border controls with Italy and Austria.
1997 - Abolition of internal border controls with Italy and Austria.
2000 - Abolition of internal border controls with Greece.
2000 - Abolition of internal border controls with Greece.
2001 - Abolition of internal border controls with Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway and Iceland.
2001 - Abolition of internal border controls with Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway and Iceland.
2007 - Abolition of internal border controls with Czechia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia.
2007 - Abolition of internal border controls with Czechia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia.
2008 - Abolition of internal border controls with Switzerland.
2008 - Abolition of internal border controls with Switzerland.
2011 - Abolition of internal border controls with Liechtenstein.
2011 - Abolition of internal border controls with Liechtenstein.
2023 - Abolition of internal border controls with Croatia.
2023 - Abolition of internal border controls with Croatia.
2024 - Abolition of internal border controls with Bulgaria and Romania.
2024 - Abolition of internal border controls with Bulgaria and Romania.
40th anniversary of the signing of the Schengen Agreement
Today, Schengen is more than a mere symbol of mobility.
Schengen has become an integral part of the European identity and is one of the biggest success stories of European integration.
A beacon of freedom and opportunity
People can travel freely between Schengen countries.
Shifting border controls to our common external borders has reduced paperwork, waiting times and costs.
It has fundamentally transformed how people live, work and travel for the better.
©Getty Images | Thierry Monasse
©Getty Images | Thierry Monasse
Did you know?
Every year Europeans make an estimated
1.25 billion journeys
within the Schengen area.
Working together: greater security
We are safer too, thanks to Schengen.
Reducing barriers internally was accompanied by increased cooperation between police forces, customs authorities and external border control authorities, helping to make Europe more secure and reinforcing our external borders and managing migration more effectively.
This is essential to fight terrorism, organised crime and hybrid threats.
Schengen Information System (SIS) is the most widely used and largest information sharing system for security and border management in Europe and allows authorities to share and access security alerts in real time across Schengen.
©Getty Images | Hristo Rusev
©Getty Images | Hristo Rusev
Did you know?
Almost
2 million
police officers, border guards, immigration officers, and consular staff work and cooperate every day to ensure our freedom and security.
A place where businesses and citizens can thrive
Schengen is a major driver of competitiveness and a true enabler of the single market. Since workers and goods can move freely, companies are able to reduce administrative costs and access larger markets at the same time.
The same goes for the tourism and cultural sectors. Schengen simplifies travel, making Europe an even more attractive tourist destination. For example, visitors coming from non-Schengen countries can access all Schengen 29 countries with just one Schengen visa. This in turn directly benefits revenues for local businesses and economies.
©Getty Images | Bloomberg
©Getty Images | Bloomberg
Did you know?
In 2024,
nearly 1.5 billion nights
were spent at tourism establishments across the Schengen countries by tourists from other Schengen states or outside Schengen.
Freedom. Opportunity. Security. Unity.
Thanks to Schengen, we have more of all of them.
40 years of expanding our horizons, while bringing us closer together.
Now that’s truly something to celebrate.
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