The EU is a political and economic union of 27 European countries that cooperate in areas such as trade, economy and justice. The Schengen zone is a separate part of the EU where internal border controls between participating countries have been lifted, meaning travelers can travel within the zone without passport control.
Not all EU countries are part of the Schengen zone, and some countries that are not part of the EU do participate in the Schengen zone.
To make this more transparent, in this article we also look at the history and the origins of both the EU and the Schengen area.
History and origins of the EU
The European Union (EU) was born out of a process of political and economic integration that began after World War II. One of the main objectives was to end the wars between European countries and find a way to work together and resolve conflicts without violence or threats.
In 1951, the European Coal and Steel Community (abbreviated: ECSC) was founded. This was a European organization intended to place the production of coal and steel under the authority of a common High Authority. The ECSC was founded at the time by France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy and Luxembourg. This was the first step towards a political and economic union between European countries. In 1957, the European Economic Community (EEC) was founded by the same countries, with the aim of strengthening economic integration. The EEC created a common market and pursued monetary union.
In 1993, the Maastricht Treaty was signed, which led to the creation of the European Union (EU) and the introduction of the Euro as a common currency. The EU has since expanded with new countries joining, and the scope of cooperation between member states has expanded to many more areas, such as home affairs, foreign affairs, defense and justice.
History and origins of the Schengen zone
The Schengen area was created when five countries joined in 1985 Schengen agreement signed a decision on the gradual abolition of controls at common borders. Following the Agreement, the Schengen Implementation Convention was concluded in 1990, which provided for the definitive abolition of internal border controls and a series of accompanying measures. Controls at the external borders were tightened, procedures for issuing uniform visas, the Schengen Information System (SIS) was introduced, police cooperation at internal borders was intensified and the approach to drug trafficking was improved.
In the years that followed, more and more EU countries joined the convention, and in 1997 the convention was introduced as a formal part of EU law. Today, the Schengen zone consists of 27 countries, most of which are members of the EU, although there are also some countries outside the EU that are part of the Schengen zone.
Purpose of the Schengen treaty
The aim of the Schengen treaty is to abolish internal border and passport controls between the participating countries and thus increase the freedom of travel within the Schengen zone. This means that travelers within the zone without passport control can travel. The treaty also aims to strengthen cooperation between the participating countries in areas such as justice and home affairs, with the aim of better maintaining security and combating crime within the zone.
Why are some EU countries not participating in the Schengen zone?
There are several reasons why some EU countries are not part of the Schengen zone. One of the main reasons is that some countries want to maintain their own internal security and immigration policies and do not want to compromise on them with other EU countries. Some countries are aware of the dangers of crime and illegality and have decided to maintain their border controls to protect their own internal security.
Other countries are not members of the Schengen zone because they do not yet technically meet the requirements for participation, such as adapting the infrastructure to the new rules or adapting their domestic legislation. There are also countries that are not members of the EU, but are members of the Schengen zone, such as Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. They have signed up to the treaty on freedom of travel and cooperation with EU countries in areas such as justice and home affairs.
When are countries allowed to join the Schengen zone?
To join the Schengen area, the Schengen countries must demonstrate that they are able to:
- guard the external borders of the Schengen area on behalf of the other Schengen countries and a uniform short stay visa to deliver (Schengen visa);
- work effectively with the others Schengen countries to maintain a high level of security once internal border controls are abolished;
- apply the Schengen rules governing land, sea and air border controls, the issuance of visas, police cooperation and the protection of personal data;
- connect to and use the Schengen Information System (SIS) and the Visa Information System (VIS).
Schengen countries are regularly subject to an evaluation to determine whether they are applying the Schengen rules correctly.
Which countries are Schengen countries?
There are 27 European countries that fall under the Schengen area. These are the so-called Schengen countries. As a resident of the European Union (EU), you may travel freely within these countries. Persons are checked at the external borders of the Schengen area.
These are the Schengen countries:
- Belgium;
- Denmark;
- Germany;
- Estonia;
- Finland;
- France;
- Greece;
- Hungary;
- Italy;
- Croatia (member from 1 January 2023);
- Latvia;
- Liechtenstein;
- Lithuania;
- Luxembourg;
- Malt;
- The Netherlands;
- Norway;
- Austria;
- Pollen;
- Portugal;
- Slovenia;
- Slovakia;
- Spain;
- Czech Republic;
- Iceland;
- Sweden;
- Switzerland.
Which EU countries are not Schengen countries
These EU countries are not part of the Schengen area:
- Bulgaria;
- Cyprus;
- Ireland;
- Romania.
Which non-EU countries are Schengen countries
These countries are not part of the EU, but are part of the Schengen area:
- Liechtenstein;
- Norway;
- Iceland;
- Switzerland.
Future of the EU
The future of the EU is uncertain and depends on a number of factors. There are several challenges facing the EU, such as the migration crisis, the growing threat of terrorism, the impact of Brexit, the economic inequality between member states, the future of the eurozone and the growing eurosceptic movements within some member states.
There is also a growing call for further integration within the EU, such as the establishment of a common asylum and migration policy, a common defense union and a more coordinated foreign and security policy. On the other hand, there are also voices for less integration and more national sovereignty, especially in countries where a growing Eurosceptic movement is present.
It is difficult to predict what the future of the EU will look like, but it will depend on how the EU and its Member States are able to address the challenges and strike a balance between the need for integration and the need for national sovereignty.
Future of Schengen
The EU is currently working on a 'smart borders' program for the external borders. This consists of an entry/exit system that improves border controls, combats illegal migration while facilitating border crossing for frequent and pre-screened travellers. The EU also aims to make the visa procedure more compatible with other policy areas, such as tourism, and to further facilitate procedures for frequent travellers. In addition, consideration is being given to a new type of visa, the tour visa, which would allow one to stay on the territory of two or more Schengen countries for longer than 90 days, but no more than one year (with the possibility
to extend this for another year).
Still, the future of the Schengen zone remains uncertain as there are several challenges facing the zone, such as the migration crisis, the growing threat of terrorism and the impact of a pandemic, for example. The migration crisis has led to tensions between the participating countries about how to deal with the influx of refugees and migrants. Some countries have temporarily reinstated their border controls to bring the situation under control, threatening the freedom of travel within the zone.
The growing threat of terrorism has led to an increase in security measures within the zone, restricting freedom of travel. There are also voices in favor of further strengthening cooperation within the Schengen zone, such as the establishment of a common asylum and migration policy and common border controls. It is therefore difficult to predict what the future of the Schengen zone will look like. It will depend on how the EU and the participating countries are able to address the challenges and find the balance between the freedom of travel and the security of citizens.
Sources: National government and the European Commission
Related posts:
