This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. On 31 March, Bulgaria and Romania become Schengen members: the Schengen rules will apply in both Member States including on issuing Schengen visas and controls at the internal air and sea borders will be lifted. The Commission strongly welcomes this achievement, which follows the […]Bulgaria and Romania join the Schengen area
April 1, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. On 31 March, Bulgaria and Romania become Schengen members: the Schengen rules will apply in both Member States including on issuing Schengen visas and controls at the internal air and sea borders will be lifted. The Commission strongly welcomes this achievement, which follows the […]Bulgaria and Romania to join Schengen area starting with air and sea borders: Commission welcomes landmark Council decision
January 2, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The Commission welcomes today’s unanimous decision by the Council to welcome Romania and Bulgaria into the Schengen area, starting with lifting controls at air and sea borders as of March 2024. Their accession will boost travel, trade and tourism and will further consolidate the […]Commission calls on Member States to step up Schengen cooperation
November 24, 2023 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the Commission is adopting a Recommendation for increased cooperation between Member States in the Schengen area. It is accompanied by a report on the consultations carried out by the Schengen Coordinator with Member States in relation to long-lasting internal border controls. A formal […]Free movement: Schengen reform to ensure border controls only as a last resort
September 21, 2023 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. Civil Liberties Committee MEPs backed proposals which would mean border controls within the free-movement Schengen area can only be reintroduced when absolutely necessary. On Wednesday, MEPs adopted a draft report on the reform of the Schengen Borders Code with 39 votes in favour, 13 […]Schengen visa: Political agreement on digitalisation of visa application
June 15, 2023 by 1 Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The Commission welcomes today’s political agreement between the European Parliament and the Council allowing for the digitalisation of the Schengen visa procedure. This is a key deliverable under the Schengen Strategy, presented by the Commission in June 2021. The agreed rules will modernise, simplify, […]Security Union: The renewed Schengen Information Systems enters into operation
March 8, 2023 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the upgraded Schengen Information System (SIS) enters into operation. SIS is the largest information sharing system for security and border management in Europe. It provides information on wanted or missing persons, third-country nationals with no legal right to stay in the Union and […]Statement by President von der Leyen at the joint press conference with Prime Minister Plenković and President Pirc Musar on the occasion of Croatia joining the Eurozone and Schengen area
January 2, 2023 by 1 Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Prime Minister, dear Andrej, Madam President, dear Nataša, First of all, Happy New Year to the two of you and to everybody here around us. I am delighted to be here, with you, today. It is a day to celebrate. It is the season […]Euro and Schengen: Croatia joins the Euro and Schengen areas
January 2, 2023 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. On 1 January 2023 Croatia will adopt the euro as its currency and will fully join the Schengen area. This marks an important milestone in the history of Croatia, of the euro and Schengen areas and of the EU as a whole. It follows a […]MEPs back Croatia’s Schengen accession
November 14, 2022 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. On Thursday, MEPs endorsed lifting internal border controls between the Schengen free-movement area and Croatia. In a report adopted with 534 in favour, 53 against, and 25 abstaining, the European Parliament approves of Croatia becoming a full member of the Schengen area. On 9 […]Third Schengen Forum: setting the way forward
June 3, 2022 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The Commission convened today the third Schengen Forum, a key component of the yearly Schengen Governance cycle. The Forum allowed Members of the European Parliament and Home Affairs Ministers of the current and future Council presidencies, Member States Representatives, as well as other stakeholders […]Schengen: New rules to make the area without internal border controls more resilient
December 15, 2021 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the Commission is proposing updated rules to reinforce the governance of the Schengen area. The targeted changes will bring greater EU coordination and better equip Member States to deal with emerging challenges when managing both the EU’s common external border and internal borders […]Schengen: MEPs adopt their position on temporary checks at national borders
April 4, 2019 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. MEPs want to tighten time limits and conditions for internal border checks within the Schengen area. The Schengen Borders Code, currently under revision, allows member states to carry out temporary checks at internal borders within the Schengen area, in the event of a serious […]New rules for temporary border controls within the Schengen area
November 30, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Internal border checks within the Schengen area should be limited to a maximum of one year, instead of the current two-year period, say MEPs. The Schengen Borders Code, currently under revision, allows member states to carry out temporary checks at internal borders within the […]MEPs demand Bulgaria’s and Romania’s swift accession to Schengen area
November 6, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. EU ministers should admit Bulgaria and Romania to the border check-free Schengen area as soon as possible, the Civil Liberties Committee urges. MEPs reiterated on Monday their call on EU Ministers to take a swift and affirmative decision on the accession of Bulgaria and […]Strengthening security through an EU-wide information system
October 25, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. The improved Schengen Information System will contribute to the EU’s fight against terrorism, cross-border crime and irregular migration. MEPs adopted on Wednesday three draft regulations that will update the Schengen Information System (SIS), the most widely used information system for security and border management […]Schengen: new rules for temporary checks at national borders
October 23, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. Internal border checks within the Schengen area would be limited to a maximum of one year, instead of the current two-year period, the Civil Liberties Committee agreed. The Schengen Borders Code currently under revision allows member states to temporarily carry out checks at internal […]The Schengen area is at a crossroads
May 31, 2018 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. EU member states should “foster mutual trust in the functioning of the Schengen area, cooperation and solidarity”, MEPs say on Wednesday. The first annual report on the state of Schengen (the agreement between 26 member states abolishing passport checks and other types of control […]Brussels terrorist attacks: Schengen in danger once again while leaders gather Europe’s multiple broken pieces
March 23, 2016 by Leave a Comment
The terrorist attacks that took place yesterday in Brussels have devastated not only Europe but also the rest of the world. The heart of Europe was hit in a very harsh way by the Islamic State. These tragic events in Brussels airport and metro station have caused the lives of so far 34 people and […]The EU has to prove it can remain one piece
March 7, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Today the European Union has to prove that it can solve its stalemate, which the immigrant and refugee flows from Asia and Africa have created. Some years ago nobody could imagine that an unseen before movement of people, could lead to the unraveling of the EU project. To deal with this problem, the 28 EU […]Presidents of pan-European youth organisations call upon the European Council to preserve the Schengen principles
February 17, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Dear President Tusk, We are writing to you today as representatives of eleven pan-European youth organisations – representing millions of young people across Europe – because we are seriously worried about the future of the Schengen Area. Open borders are one of Europe’s greatest milestones – we want to keep it that way. The increased […]Migration crisis update: Greece could probably say goodbye to Schengen really soon
January 29, 2016 by Leave a Comment
It was two days ago when the European Commission’s draft report revealed “serious deficiencies” of the Greek government to comply with its obligations under the Schengen’s Agreement rules regarding the control of the migrant influx. If these suggestions are voted by the majority of the EU member states, then Greece will be given a 90 […]WEF Davos 2016 LIVE: “We need more Schengen but reinforce control!”, France’s Minister of Economy Emmanuel Macron emphasises from Davos
January 22, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Earlier today in Davos, WEF organized one more session on Europe in order to find ways to deal with one of the most important issues that the old continent is facing which is no other than the refugee crisis. The session that took place in the Sanada room was called “Europe at a tipping point” and was moderated by Lyse […]Terrorism and migrants: the two awful nightmares for Europe and Germany in 2016
January 13, 2016 by 2 Comments
Less than two weeks have passed since the dawn of 2016 and terrorism and the migration crisis continue afflicting Europe and especially Germany. Yesterday’s horrible terrorist attack in Istanbul that caused the lives of at least 10 people and left 15 injured shocked the entire world and particularly Angela Merkel since eight Germans were among the victims. Terrorism left […]Schengen is losing ground fast revealing Europe’s clear inability to deal with migration crisis
January 6, 2016 by Leave a Comment
It was last Monday when Sweden decided to impose ID-checks at its borders with Denmark. Of course, this action didn’t remain unanswered by Denmark which tightened controls at its southern border with Germany. This anti-Schengen spirit has been created by the influx of migrants and refugees coming to Europe daily in thousands and is meant to stop undocumented […]EU responds to terror fallout by eroding borderless Europe and molesting the refugees
November 23, 2015 by Leave a Comment
The very title of the Press release which the extraordinary Justice and Home Affairs Council of the European Union issued after its 20 November meeting, is quite indicative of the multiple fractures that the Union suffers after the terrorist attacks, which took place in Paris on 13 November 2015. The title reads as follows: “Conclusions […]Easier Schengen Visas for non-EU holiday makers: A crucial issue for south Eurozone countries
March 31, 2014 by Leave a Comment
With Brussels ‘digesting’ two historical developments, the annexation of Crimea by Russia and the creation of the European Banking Union, this new week predictably could be rather quiet. There is a problem though the Commission will try to resolve during the next few days. It’s the EU Schengen visa applications by non EU citizens, who […]
