EU to strengthen governance of Schengen border-free zone

Brussels, April 24 (IANS) The European Union (EU) is set to reinforce its Schengen border-free zone as previous efforts have resulted in a significant decline in irregular crossings in 2024, the European Commission said.

"Intensified EU efforts have led to a decline in irregular crossings at Schengen's external borders, with around 240,000 detections (in 2024) - the lowest since 2021," the report said on Wednesday.

This also represents a 38 per cent drop in irregular crossings since 2023, Xinhua news agency reported.

The EU will continue to strengthen the political and operational governance of Schengen, accelerate the implementation of digitalisation to prevent security risks, enhance cooperation among law enforcement authorities, and deepen relations with partner countries to improve border protection.

It also plans to improve the effectiveness of measures to return those who do not have a legal right to stay in the EU, after a nearly 12 per cent increase in returns of third-country nationals in 2024.

"Schengen will continue to evolve, adapt to new realities and respond to the shifting geopolitical landscape," the report said.

The Schengen area, which was created 40 years ago, covers a population of nearly 420 million people and includes 29 countries.

These include most EU members and all members of the European Free Trade Association: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

However, in recent years, 10 Schengen countries have reintroduced temporary border controls at internal borders, claiming that this was necessary to curb illegal migration.

According to the Commission, Schengen was "once again the world's most visited destination in 2024, welcoming more than half a billion visitors and driving economic growth across the Union".

The Schengen area is one of the pillars of the European project. Since its creation in 1995, when passport controls were abolished inside this zone, EU citizens have enjoyed the right to freedom of movement. This means that they can live, study, work and retire anywhere in the EU. Tourists and businesses also benefit from these rights.

The Schengen rules abolish internal border controls, while harmonising and reinforcing protection of the area's external borders. Once inside the Schengen area, people can travel from one country to another without being subjected to border checks. However, national authorities may check people at or close to internal borders if police information and experience warrant stepping up surveillance temporarily.

--IANS

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