Schengen Area
Schengen Area | |
|---|---|
Map of the Schengen Area
Schengen Area
Countries with open borders to the Schengen area
Member of the EU committed by treaty to join the Schengen Area in the future | |
| Type | Open border area of the European Union |
| Members | |
| Establishment | 26 March 1995 |
| Area | |
• Total | 4,595,131 km2 (1,774,190 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• 2021 estimate | 453,324,255 |
• Density | 98.7/km2 (255.6/sq mi) |
| GDP (PPP) | 2023 estimate |
• Total | $25.926 trillion[1] |
• Per capita | $56,997 |
| GDP (nominal) | 2023 estimate |
• Total | $19.213 trillion[1] |
• Per capita | $42,237 |
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The Schengen Area (English: /ˈʃɛŋən/ SHENG-ən, Luxembourgish: [ˈʃæŋən] ⓘ) is a system of open borders that encompass 29 European countries that have officially abolished border controls at their common borders. As an element within the wider area of freedom, security and justice (AFSJ) policy of the European Union (EU), it mostly functions as a single jurisdiction under a common visa policy for international travel purposes. The area is named after the 1985 Schengen Agreement and the 1990 Schengen Convention, both signed in Schengen, Luxembourg.
Of the 27 EU member states, only two are not members of the Schengen Area. Cyprus is committed by treaty to join the system and aims to do so by 2026, although its participation has been complicated by the occupation of Northern Cyprus by Turkey since 1974.[2][3] Ireland maintains an opt-out and operates its own visa policy.
In addition to the member states of the European Union, all member states of the European Free Trade Association, namely Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, have signed association agreements with the EU to be part of the Schengen Area. In addition, the territories of four microstates – Andorra,[4] Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City – are de facto included in the Schengen Area due to their small size and difficulty of maintaining active border controls.[5]
The Schengen Area has a population of more than 450 million people and an area of about 4,595,000 km2 (1,774,000 sq mi).[6] About 1.7 million people commute to work across an internal European border each day, and in some regions these international commuters constitute up to a third of the workforce. In 2015, there were 1.3 billion crossings of Schengen borders in total. 57 million crossings were due to the transport of goods by road, with a value of €2.8 trillion.[7][8][9] The decrease in the cost of trade due to Schengen varies from 0.42% to 1.59% depending on geography, trade partners, and other factors. Countries outside of the Schengen Area also benefit.[10] States in the Schengen Area have strengthened border controls with non-Schengen countries.[11]
Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).
- ^ a b "World Economic Outlook Database, October 2023". IMF.org. International Monetary Fund. Archived from the original on 31 March 2024. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
- ^ "'We will join the Schengen zone in 2026'". cyprus-mail.com. 11 May 2025. Retrieved 11 May 2025.
- ^ "Law passed to take Cyprus a step closer to Schengen". Cyprus Mail. 10 July 2025.
- ^ "Schengener Übereinkommen". auswaertiges-amt.de (in German). German Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Archived from the original on 2 June 2024. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
- ^ "Tourist, Student and Work visa to Europe". Swift Tourism. 2010. Archived from the original on 5 September 2017. Retrieved 14 September 2011.
- ^ "Schengen Area". European Commission. 13 February 2025.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
europarlwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ European Council on Foreign Relations (2016). "The Future of Schengen". Archived from the original on 26 June 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
- ^ "Schengen's economic impact: Putting up barriers". The Economist. 6 February 2016. Archived from the original on 15 May 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
CEPRwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "The refugee crisis: Fixing Schengen is not enough". Archived from the original on 15 December 2018. Retrieved 14 December 2018.