Image copyright Getty Schengen virtually abolished internal borders between most EU countries, allowing free movement in Europe without a passport.
But attacks jihadists Paris on 13 November last year that killed 130 people, made with different eyes to look at the rules of the Schengen area.
The alarm was the fact how easily the attackers were able to escape from France to Belgium, as well as the fact that some of the attackers penetrated into Europe through Greece in the flow of migrants.
The influx of more than a million refugees, many of whom are Syrians, questioned the appropriateness of such conditions of Schengen.
One of the other EU countries have begun to introduce temporary border controls.
In December, the European Commission proposed to introduce major amendments to the Schengen agreement, which is expected to be adopted in the near future.
Most of the citizens of countries outside the EU, tested through the police database on entry at the external borders of the Schengen area.
These citizens have received a Schengen visa, most often do not pass the passport control in the EU when they move from one country to another.
But after the Paris tragedy such checks are becoming more frequent.
Which countries have refused internal borders?
Schengen – a town in Luxembourg where in 1985 an agreement was signed. It entered into force in 1995. The first members of the Schengen area were Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.
Later, they were joined by Italy, Austria, Greece and the Nordic countries.
In 2007, the Schengen area includes mills in Eastern Europe – the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia as well as Malta.
Now the Schengen zone of 26 countries, among them – the 22 EU member states and four countries outside the European Union. This quartet – Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
Only 6 of the 28 EU countries are not part of the Schengen area. It Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Romania, Ireland and the United Kingdom.
Is it going to other countries to abandon border controls?
Andorra and San Marino are not part of the Schengen area, but they have refused to from border control.
So far, not named timing of such refusal for a relatively new EU members – Cyprus, joined the EU in 2004, Bulgaria and Romania (2007) and Croatia (2013).
What are the EU countries are not part of the Schengen area?
UK and Ireland have decided not to sign the Schengen Agreement. Britain wants to control its borders, and Ireland have preferred no borders with the United Kingdom joining the Schengen area.
UK and Ireland take part in some of the initiatives of the Schengen area, for example in the Schengen Information System (SIS).
This system allows the free exchange of data between the police departments of European countries, including – information on stolen vehicles, missing people and court cases.
Why migration crisis undermines the Schengen ?
Germany regained control on the border with Austria after through this country to Germany entered a record number of refugees, to get to Hungary.
The influx of migrants forced Austria to restrict traffic through the Hungarian border .
The migrants were on the territory of the EU illegally because they did not have Schengen visas. Hungary was for them the gates of the EU, but soon the Hungarian authorities erected a fence on the border with Serbia.
Hungary sharply criticized for the move, but Budapest has declared that his actions are justified because of Serbia to the Schengen area is not included.
Later, Hungary has erected a fence on the border with EU member Slovenia, which is part of the Schengen area, and Croatia is not included in it.
In early January, the spotlight shifted to two other members of the Schengen area – Denmark and Sweden.
Denmark has tightened control over the border in Germany, a few hours after as Sweden has taken measures to restrict the entry of migrants across the Danish border.
Sweden now refuse entry to anyone who does not have a photo ID.
Last year, more than 160 thousand people applied to Sweden for political asylum. This is the highest in Europe per unit of population.
In December, President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker said that free movement in the Schengen area will not be canceled and that the “Schengen will remain”.
The Schengen Agreement is often criticized by nationalists and eurosceptics, among them – the National Front in France, the Danish Freedom Party and the UK Independence Party United Kingdom. They state that the Schengen area – is an open door for migrants and criminals.
When the country can return to border controls?
According to the Schengen agreement, the signatory countries can restore border controls for 10 days if it needs to be done for reasons of national security.
The control at the border may be extended for a period of 20 days, for a maximum total period of two months.
This measure is considered to be exceptional and should impose restrictions, if all other possibilities have been exhausted.
In the case of a clear predictable threats to border control can be extended for up to six months.
However, the 26th article of the Schengen Borders Code provides, in exceptional cases, the introduction of border controls for a period of two years.
Now six Schengen countries have introduced controls on its borders – is Austria, Germany, Denmark, France, Norway and Sweden.
Hungary established border controls with countries outside the Schengen area – Croatia and Serbia. Also introduced a temporary control on the border with Slovenia.
In 2005, France introduced a temporary border controls after the bombings in London.
Austria, Portugal and Germany have introduced border controls at the time of major international sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup.
What else provides the Schengen Agreement?
The main thing in it – the creation of a single external border and common rules for the control on it.
Among other provisions:
- General rules for asylum
- The possibility for the police to pursue criminals on the territory of other countries of the zone
- A separate stream in airports to passengers traveling within the Schengen area
- Total list of countries whose citizens must obtain visas
- Creation of the Schengen Information System (SIS), which allows the exchange of data between law enforcement agencies of the Schengen States.
- Joint efforts to combat drug trafficking
How Schengen influences countries outside the zone?
The Schengen visa is required for entry into the countries of the zone. This is a short-term visa valid for 90 days.
Normally this visa costs 60 euros, but for the Russians and the Ukrainians and citizens of some other countries the price is reduced almost twice – up to 35 Euro.
In order to enter the EU do not require visas for citizens of Albania , Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, have biometric passports. All of these Balkan countries hoping to join the EU future. The exception here is Kosovo.
After the abolition of visas for citizens of the Balkan countries into the EU has increased dramatically the number of applications from their nationals to seek asylum. Many of its candidates – the Roma often live in poverty and suffer discrimination in their own countries.
The majority of applications were submitted in Germany, which has formed a large Balkan diaspora.
According to the EU report, abuse asylum system continues to undermine the visa-free regime, which is difficult to maintain in such circumstances.
The EU intends to draw up a common list of countries that are considered safe to stay. Among them, the Balkan states and Turkey.
This will simplify the process of decision-making on asylum and allow to send home many citizens of the Balkan countries. Now the EU is less than 10% of asylum applications from residents of the region.
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