site.btaEuropean Parliament Looks Back on 40 Years of Schengen Agreement

The 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Schengen free travel zone was discussed at the European Parliament (EP) in Strasbourg on Monday. EP President Roberta Metsola said in a statement: “This year we warmly welcomed Bulgaria and Romania into our Schengen family, which is now made up of 29 countries. It was a long-awaited step towards a more united, prosperous and secure Union.”

Metsola described Schengen as “a defining achievement of European unity, cooperation and freedom.” “But we should never take it for granted because the preservation and the strengthening of Schengen takes constant commitment and effort from all of us,” she added.

In subsequent statements by the EP political groups, the majority rallied around a call to improve the protection of the EU’s external borders so that free movement can remain a lasting arrangement.

The Group of the European People’s Party (EPP) called the Schengen agreement one of the greatest European achievements. According to the EPP, growing risks to internal security require a strong internal response. The external borders need better protection, and people who have no right to stay must be returned. Europol should become a real police agency. Europe needs to be prepared for hybrid threats, we have seen how migration is used to create instability.

The Group of the Socialists and Democrats argued that Europe is stronger with Schengen. They noted the reinstatement of checks at some internal borders, which, according to them, undermines European unity and mutual trust.

The Group of Patriots for Europe said Schengen is a failure, noting that a million migrants have entered the EU unlawfully since 2022. The number of those who have been returned as they have no right to stay is ridiculously low, the group said. They called for strong protection of the external borders and transferring asylum seekers to migrant centres outside Europe. Cooperation among European police services should be improved.

According to the European Conservatives and Reformists, Schengen is a great European victory. Freedom should not be taken for granted, it is the result of an agreement which should be implemented every day. The group disapproved of the reintroduction of checks at some internal borders.

Renew Europe described Schengen as the essence of the European Union, spoke in favour of upgrading protection of the external borders, and called for shared responsibility for maintaining the free travel zone. The Greens insisted that the resumption of internal border checks is against the rules, hampers neighbour-to-neighbour relations and impedes business.

According to The Left, some member states misuse the rules and the possibility for temporary reintroduction of internal border checks under exceptional circumstances.

The Group of Europe of Sovereign Nations said the external borders should be protected better. They said Schengen rules are ignored nowadays.