Free movement – the right to live, study, work and retire anywhere in the EU – is possibly the most tangible achievement of European integration. With the establishment of the Schengen area in 1995, checks were abolished at the EU's internal borders.

Today, the Schengen area encompasses most EU states, except for Ireland, which maintains an opt-out and operates its own common travel area with the UK, as well as Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania, which are obliged to join Schengen.

Four non-EU countries - Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein - have also joined the Schengen area.

Enlargement of Schengen

Despite Bulgaria and Romania fulfilling the necessary criteria and repeated calls from the European Parliament to let them join, the Schengen area has not been expanded to these two countries yet as EU national governments must unanimously decide to allow new states to enter the border-free zone.

The process regarding Croatia’s entry is ongoing, while Cyprus has a temporary derogation from joining the Schengen area.

The future of Schengen was the focus of a hearing of the civil liberties committee on 20 February 2018. Speaking at the meeting, Portuguese EPP member Carlos Coelho said of Bulgaria and Romania’s entry to Schengen, “We pushed you. You did your homework but the problem is the unanimity in the Council.” Coelho wrote Parliament’s report on the revision of the Schengen Information System.