40 years of Schengen: a major achievement not to be taken for granted

On Wednesday, LIBE Chair Javier Zarzalejos and Commissioner Magnus Brunner welcomed guest speakers to discuss the past, present and future of the Schengen area.

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the signature of the Schengen Agreement, one of the most tangible achievements of the EU impacting the daily lives of more than 450 million people, MEP Javier Zarzalejos (Chair of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs - LIBE) and European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner co-hosted an event at the European Parliament.

In their opening remarks, they highlighted the significance of 3.5 million people travelling across the EU’s internal borders every day without facing border checks, and the importance of Schengen for the economy and for internal security. Nevertheless, the co-hosts stressed that Schengen should not be taken for granted, and that work is needed to develop and grow the area.

In a video message, Parliament’s President Roberta Metsola stated that Schengen represents a continuous commitment to preserve and build on progress made so far. You can watch her message here.

The first panel discussion brought together António Vitorino (European Commissioner for Justice and Home Affairs from 1999 to 2004); Nicholas Ioannides, Deputy Minister of Migration and International Protection of the Republic of Cyprus; and MEP Lena Düpont, Chair of the LIBE Committee’s Schengen and Borders Scrutiny Working Group. They discussed the history of the free-travel area and its development from an intergovernmental agreement to a part of the EU acquis. They also touched on the prospects for the area’s enlargement, including the work done by Cyprus to adopt relevant laws. Cooperation between member states is key to Schengen’s future success, they agreed.

In the second panel discussion, guests Michel Gloden (Mayor of Schengen in Luxembourg); Samo Turel (Mayor of Nova Gorica in Slovenia); Rodolfo Ziberna, (Mayor of Gorizia in Italy); Fulvio Origo (Italy’s Country Director for the Global Business Travel Association); and Gabriel Marti (President of the European Law Students’ Association), described the practical impact of the absence of border checks on the daily lives of citizens and businesses. As Nova Gorica and Gorizia enjoy the joint status of European Capital of Culture in 2025, the mayors recounted the story of the region’s division after World War II and how Schengen has helped in overcoming these divisions. The speakers highlighted examples of the way the free-travel area creates understanding between communities, helps business travellers, and allows students to connect more fluidly with each other across internal borders

The event concluded with closing remarks by LIBE Chair Javier Zarzalejos, Luxembourg’s Minister for Home Affairs Léon Gloden, Denmark’s Permanent Secretary of State for Immigration and Integration Pernille Breinholdt Mikkelsen (representing the Danish Presidency of the EU Council), and Henna Virkkunen, Commission Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy.