Marking 40 years since the signing of the Schengen Agreement, the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola said the European Parliament will keep working to modernise and reinforce the Schengen Area, to stay fit for the future, and true to its promise.
This past Saturday, 14 June, marked 40 years since the signing of the agreement that established the Schengen Area – a defining achievement of European unity, cooperation and freedom.
What began in 1985 with just five countries has grown into the largest free travel area in the world, making life easier for over 400 million people across the European Union, as well as in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
This year, we warmly welcomed Bulgaria and Romania into our Schengen family which is now made up of 29 countries. This was a long-awaited step towards a more united, prosperous and secure Union. And work continues to extend those same benefits to all Member States.
Today, the Schengen Area allows 3.5 million people each day to cross internal borders freely – to live, love, work and explore Europe without barriers. It boosts our economy by making trade between countries easier, cutting red tape for businesses, and helping our Single Market work better.
Schengen also helps keep us safe – through closer cooperation between police, customs, and border authorities to protect our borders and fight crime.
Around the world, the Schengen Area is looked at with admiration. A clear and very tangible example of what European cooperation can achieve.
But we should never take it for granted. Preserving and strengthening Schengen takes constant commitment and effort from all of us.
This Parliament will keep working with Member States and other EU institutions to modernise and reinforce the Schengen Area, so it stays fit for the future, and true to its promise: that we always achieve more together than alone.