Schengen Treaty
History of the Treaty and what it plans
Leonardo Beccarini, Alessio Paoloni, Flavio Vegliò. Liceo Touschek
The free movement area is gradually entered into force since 1985 the date of an agreement reached by a group of European governments in the Luxembourg town of Schengen . The first effective abolition of border controls came in 1996
Schengen area is an area of free movement where frontier controls have been abolished for all travelers, except in exceptional circumstances. The Schengen area currently comprises 26 countries, including 22 EU members and four non-members (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland). Aren’t part of it Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, and Romania, and Ireland and the UK.
In this area citizens of the European Union and those of third countries can move freely without being subject to border controls. In contrast, a domestic flight to the EU Schengen linking a state to a non-Schengen state is subject to border controls. The fall of the internal borders has consequently the reinforcement of the Schengen area's external borders. Member states which are located on its borders have the responsibility to ensure strict border controls.
Membership in Schengen implies a police cooperation among all States to combat organized crime and terrorism, through a data sharing.
However there are countries that have reintroduced border controls, they are Austria, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Basque Country, France and Denmark.
This treaty now mainly concerns migrants who can travel freely in Schengen states, but for fear of terrorism some states have rehabilitate border controls.