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Schengen: the beginnings of a frontier-free area |
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Freedom of movement applies to all, regardless of nationality
- For Union nationals, the principle has largely been put into practice already in the area covered by the Schengen Agreement.
- Arrangements for tourists, asylum seekers and legal immigrants from non-member countries are included in the Agreement, the main aim of which is to standardise procedures throughout the Schengen area.
Law and order and security:
- Police will continue to operate on their own national territory, in ports and airports, but they will adopt a different approach. Closer cooperation will make controls at external borders more effective.
- There are common rules on measures to combat terrorism, smuggling and organised crime. The Agreement also makes provision for cooperation between courts, police forces and government departments.
- When the Amsterdam Treaty has been ratified, visas, asylum, immigration and other policies on the freedom of movement of people should be transferred to the Community system. The Council of the Union will be replaced by the Schengen executive committee, the European Commission will be able to exercise initiatives and the Court of Justice will be declared the competent authority in these areas.
Special provisions apply to Denmark , Ireland and the United Kingdom.
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June; The Fontainebleau European Council agrees in principle to abolish customs and police formalities at the Community's internal borders.
July: the Saarbrücken Agreement between France and Germany marks a first step towards attaining this objective.
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14 June: Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands sign the Schengen Agreement, committing themselves to the gradual removal of checks at shared borders and free passage for everyone crossing these borders, whether they are nationals of a signatory country, another Community country or a non-member country.
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19 June: the same five states sign a further agreement spelling out conditions and guarantees for implementation of the free-movement arrangements. This Agreement, comprising 142 articles, will entail the amendment of national laws; it is subject to ratification by national Parliaments.
27 November: Italy joins the first five states.
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18 November: Spain and Portugal join too.
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6 November: Greece joins.
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26 March: The Schengen Agreement comes into force between Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain and Portugal with plans for the other countries to follow once the appropriate border arrangements are in place.
21 April: Austria joins.
16 June: Negotiation framework set up with the Nordic countries.
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19 December: draft treaty and agreement for Denmark, Finland and Sweden to join.
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2 October: Amsterdam Treaty ratified, incorporating the Schengen agreements.
Ireland and the Unitedare not included in the Schengen area.
26 October: the agreement to apply air space controls with Italy comes into force.
1 December: the agreement to apply air space controls with Austria comes into force.
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31 March at the latest: border controls with Italy and Austria to be abolished.
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