EU Wants Member States to Step Up Schengen Cooperation, Reduce Extended Border Checks

Photo source: European Commission

The European Commission announced that it is adopting a recommendation for increased cooperation between Member States in the Schengen area. It is accompanied by a report on the consultations carried out by the Schengen Coordinator with Member States in relation to long-lasting internal border controls. A formal consultation process was carried out between May and November 2023 with the Member States that reintroduced border controls as well as those Member States affected by those controls.

Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, highlights that the reintroduction of internal border controls has an impact on the exercise of the freedom of movement, the functioning of the Single Market and on the existing socio-economic links in cross-border regions.

“With this recommendation, we are taking another step to ensure that this remains a measure of last resort and applied only with the cooperation of all Member States involved,” Johansson said.

The Schengen area allows more than 425 million EU citizens, along with non-EU nationals living or visiting the EU, to move freely without border checks.

Image of an airport in Schengen Europe. Photo © EFE/EPA/Federico Gambarini – Source: Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union

Emphasising the importance of the Schengen agreement, the Commission aims to reduce extended border checks by suggesting new measures.

“Reintroducing border controls must remain exceptional, strictly limited in time and a measure of last resort if a serious threat to public policy or internal security has been established. Free movement of people, goods and services must be ensured in the Schengen area,” the Commission notes.

As stated in the 2023 State of Schengen report, there is a need to increase cooperation to ensure security, while phasing out long lasting border controls.

The recommendation promotes the alternative measures to internal border controls as well as increased cooperation and information exchange across eight areas:

Photo source: European Commission

– Structured cooperation at all levels;
– Reinforcing capacity for joint measures;
– Law enforcement cooperation;
– Stepping up joint actions to fight migrant smuggling;
– Full use of tools in the area of returns to address unauthorised movements;
– Addressing unauthorised movements; Strengthening joint actions to fight transnational terrorism and organised crime; and
– Measures to mitigate the introduction of internal border controls.

According to the Commission, the Schengen Coordinator will continue to support and engage with Member States and it would be important for them to closely cooperate in the implementation of the recommendation.

The Schengen Coordinator will also regularly report on this matter in the Schengen Council.