European Parliamentary Research Service Blog
Schengen agreement
The impact of coronavirus on Schengen borders
The Schengen Area consists of 26 countries that have agreed to remove regular checks at their internal borders in order to facilitate the free and unrestricted movement of people: 22 EU Member States (Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Finland and Sweden), and 4 associated countries (Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein). Continue reading
Outcome of the video-conference call of EU Heads of State or Government on 17 March 2020
‘The EU is facing a serious and exceptional crisis, in terms of magnitude and nature’. This was the main message from the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, after EU leaders held a three-hour-long video-conference to discuss the COVID-19 outbreak. Continue reading
Temporary border controls in the Schengen area
Free movement across internal borders is one of the EU’s most important achievements, with important benefits for EU citizens. The Schengen Borders Code (or Schengen Code) specifies the conditions under which Member States can introduce temporary checks at their internal borders in cases of serious threats to public policy or internal security. Continue reading
Area of freedom, security and justice: Cost of non-Europe
Since the entry into force of the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1999, the EU offers its citizens an area of freedom, security and justice (AFSJ). In this area, the free movement of persons should be ensured, in conjunction with appropriate measures with respect to external border controls, asylum and migration, as well as preventing and combating crime. Continue reading
Revision of the Community Code on Visas [EU Legislation in Progress]
The European Union Code on Visas is one of the core elements of the EU’s visa policy. It lays down the procedures and conditions for issuing short-stay visas for third-country nationals. Continue reading
Mapping the Cost of Non-Europe, 2014-19 – Fourth edition
This paper embodies work-in-progress on a long-term project being undertaken by the European Parliament’s European Added Value Unit, in conjunction with the office of the Secretary-General, to try to identify and analyse the ‘cost of non-Europe’ in certain policy fields. Continue reading
Area of freedom, security and justice: Untapped potential
Since the entry into force of the 1997 Treaty of Amsterdam, the EU offers its citizens an area of freedom, security and justice (AFSJ). Continue reading
Plenary round-up – Strasbourg, October II 2017
The highlights of the October II plenary session included a debate on the conclusions of the last European Council meeting and the presentation of a new agenda for EU leaders, as well as the presentation of the 2018 Commission work programme. Continue reading
European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) [EU Legislation in Progress][Policy Podcast]
Strengthening the EU’s external borders is key to ensure internal security and to preserve freedom of movement in the Schengen area. Continue reading
Visa liberalisation for Ukraine [Plenary Podcast]
Written by Anita Orav, Building on its Visa Liberalisation Dialogues, the European Commission is proposing to waive visa requirements for 45 million Ukrainian citizens. In parallel, the European Union (EU) has revised its visa suspension mechanism, reinforcing safeguards to apply to all visa liberalisation agreements. Background Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 lists the third countries … Continue reading
Schengen and EURO 2016
Written by Alexandra Gatto, With an estimated 7 million fans and 1 million foreign visitors, the UEFA European Football Championships, EURO 2016, promises to be one of the largest sports events taking place this year. In order to be better equipped against the threats of terrorism and hooliganism, France has reintroduced controls at its borders … Continue reading
Schengen area: Update and state of play
Written by Alexandra Gatto, Pierre Goudin, Risto Niemenen, Passport-free travel across the Schengen area has been called into question as a result of pressure on certain internal EU borders from the rising number of asylum-seekers and migrants seeking to reach certain Member States, as well as security concerns in the wake of the Paris terrorist … Continue reading
Differentiated integration in the European Union
Written by Aidan Christie and Giulio Sabbati, As the number of European Union Member States has increased and the competences of the Union have widened, some Member States have on occasion been exempted from joining their partners in new fields of integration. Whilst the single market and its ‘four freedoms’ remain at the heart of … Continue reading
The Schengen Area [What Think Tanks are Thinking]
Written by Marcin Grajewski, The unprecedented migration crisis has put severe pressure on the Schengen area of 26 European countries which have abolished passport and any other type of control at their common borders. As member states reinstate border checks, some politicians predict that the Schengen area may break apart unless a solution is quickly … Continue reading
The Schengen Area and the EU’s visa policy
Travelling in Europe’s border-free Schengen area without a visa is one of the most concrete results for citizens, especially for young and mobile citizens. It is important for connecting people but it also requires trust that Member States properly secure their external borders and implement required measures. 3 language versions available in PDF format EN: … Continue reading
Frontex and surveillance of the EU’s external sea borders
In recent years, EU Member States have been confronted with increasing numbers of irregular migrants travelling on overloaded and/or unseaworthy boats across the Mediterranean Sea. In order to limit the growing numbers of fatalities, with hundreds of lives being lost, the EU and its Member States have sought to improve surveillance at the EU’s external … Continue reading
Référendum en Suisse: “Contre l’immigration de masse” : votation populaire du 09 février 2014
En Suisse, l‘initiative populaire “Contre l’immigration de masse” a été approuvée lors de la votation du 9 février 2014. Le Conseil national avait au préalable rejeté l’initiative par 140 voix contre 54 et 1 abstention, et le Conseil des États par 37 voix contre 5 sans abstention. Une note explicative informait les citoyens helvètes sur les textes … Continue reading
Constitutional problems of multi-tier governance in the EU
Differentiated integration – where some Member States are not yet ready or are unwilling to participate in new developments – is a fact of today’s European Union. Nonetheless, the route chosen by the Member States to move forward has a major impact both on the legal certainty around any new instruments and on their democratic … Continue reading
Establishing the European Border Surveillance System
The European Border Surveillance System (Eurosur) is a key element of integrated border management on the EU’s external frontiers, in which Member States cooperate with each other and with Frontex to exchange information on irregular migration and cross-border crime. Developing Eurosur as a full-scale system, as proposed in the draft regulation, will also address the … Continue reading
Revising Schengen governance rules
6 language versions available in PDF format Überarbeitung der Schengen-Bestimmungen Revisando las normas de gobernanza de Schengen Révision des règles de gouvernance de Schengen Revisione delle norme sulla governance di Schengen Przegląd przepisów dotyczących zarządzania strefą Schengen Revising Schengen governance rules After a year of negotiations the European Parliament (EP) and the Council have reached … Continue reading
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