Schengen's open border policy : its effect on European security

Abstract

The Schengen agreement was signed in 1985 by Luxemburg, Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands, signifying the gradual abolition of the internal borders between these states. The Schengen convention was later signed in 1990 and came into effect in 1995, by this time another four EU member states had joined the initial signatory states. The Schengen Convention abolished checks at the internal borders of these states, creating a single external border where checks would be carried out. Compensatory measures were also put in place in order to balance out the removal of the internal borders, these measures consisted of a common visa policy, improving judicial, police and customs co-operation, and an information system, known as the Schengen Information System. In 1999 the Schengen Convention was incorporated into the European Union's legal and institutional framework, therefore all the Member states intending to join the European Union are also bound by the Schengen Acquis. The concept behind the Schengen Agreement is that people are able to move freely within the area without having to undergo any checks. Once someone is admitted into the Schengen area, the crossing of the internal borders would not entail having to go through any form of controls. This dissertation researches the open border policy of Schengen and delves into the security aspect of the area With the recent terrorist attacks in Europe, and the rise of irregular immigration, one has to ask whether having a system of open borders, can still be considered viable.