The Commission has published its fifth report on the state of the Schengen area, which reviews progress made in the Schengen area over the past year and sets out priorities for the coming year. The Schengen area continues to demonstrate its ability to adapt, thanks to collective efforts at both EU and national level. The […]
DiscoverEU celebrates 40 years of Schengen with 40,000 tickets for young travellers
The European Commission is offering 40,000 young people a unique opportunity to explore Europe through DiscoverEU, an action of the Erasmus+ programme, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Schengen area. To apply for a travel pass, young people born between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2007 must complete a short quiz about the EU on […]
Commission sets the launch date for the Entry/Exit System to 12 October 2025
The Commission has set 12 October 2025 as the launch date for the progressive start of operations of the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES). The EES is an advanced technological system that will digitally record the entries and exits of non-EU nationals travelling to 29 European countries, including Schengen Associated ones, for short stays. It will capture biometric data, such […]
Fourth State of Schengen report
The Commission published on 23 April its fourth report on the state of Schengen, reviewing developments over the past year and setting priorities for the year ahead. 40 years since its creation show that the Schengen area has brought profound benefits to the EU and its citizens. It is the backbone of the EU’s internal […]
Commission proposes an EU Digital Travel application for easier and safer travel
Today, the European Commission adopted two proposals to digitalise passports and identity cards, also called ‘EU Digital Travel application’, for individuals travelling to and from the Schengen area. Both EU citizens and non-EU citizens are subject to systematic checks when crossing the EU’s external borders. Currently, these checks are made physically at the border crossing […]
Council adopts updated Schengen Borders Code
The Council has given its final approval to a new Schengen Borders Code, the EU’s rulebook that deals with the management of internal and external borders as well as the rules governing border control of persons crossing the external EU borders. The reform is instrumental in making the Schengen area more resilient to present and […]
The European Commission proposes a reform of the Schengen Area
The Commission is proposing updated rules to reinforce the governance of the Schengen area. The targeted changes will bring greater EU coordination and better equip Member States to deal with emerging challenges when managing both the EU’s common external border and internal borders within the Schengen area. The update seeks to ensure that reintroducing internal […]