Schengen Agreement celebrates 40 years: A look at open borders!

Schengen Agreement celebrates 40 years: A look at open borders!

A ceremony marking the 40th anniversary of the Schengen Agreement will take place next Saturday in Schengen, Luxembourg. The event starts at 10:00 a.m. and is well attended; Politicians as well as Luxembourg's Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa will be present. The Schengen Agreement was signed on June 14, 1985 by Germany, France, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands with the aim of gradually reducing border controls and thus promoting an open Europe.

The legal structures of the agreement were established in 1990 before it entered into force in 1995. Today the Schengen area includes 29 countries with around 420 million inhabitants and symbolizes a Europe without borders. Nevertheless, these achievements are currently under discussion, especially due to the critical return of border controls at Germany's external borders, which has become noticeable since mid-September 2024, especially in the border triangle of Germany, Luxembourg and France.

Festive anniversary celebration and return of the ship

The anniversary will also mark the return of the historic ship Princess Marie-Astrid Europa, on which the agreement was signed in 1985. This ship has been renovated and modernized to showcase it as part of the celebrations. Additionally, the renewed European Museum in Schengen will open on Saturday, highlighting the history and significance of the Schengen Agreement.

The challenges of migration management and securing external borders are also in focus. In 2015, up to 1.83 million illegal border crossings were recorded at the EU's external borders. This number fell to 200,000 by 2021, underscoring the EU's efforts to not only tighten control of external borders but also ensure efficiency in processing asylum applications. To support this, new instruments and agencies have been created.

EU initiatives for border security

• Schengener Informationssystem
• Visa-Informationssystem
• Europäische Agentur für die Grenz- und Küstenwache (Frontex)
• System zur Registrierung von Ein- und Ausreisen

A significant step was taken with the new budget of the Integrated Border Management Fund (IBMF), increased to 9.88 billion euros from 2021 to 2027. This fund aims to improve Member States' border management capacities while safeguarding fundamental rights. These measures come in the context of the Internal Security Fund (ISF), which was also strengthened in 2021 to combat cross-border threats such as terrorism and organized crime.

In addition, the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), which screens visa-free travelers before their arrival in the EU, is expected to be operational by mid-2025. MEPs have also approved plans to equip the European Border and Coast Guard Agency with a permanent corps of 10,000 border guards by 2027. The EU The challenge remains to master the balancing act between freedom and security for its citizens.