Schengen area in 2022
In fact they are two different entities, although many countries are included in both. The EU is a political and economic union, whereas the Schengen Area allows for the free movement of people between the participating countries.
A little bit of history
The Schengen Agreement – covering the gradual abolishment of the internal borders between countries and extended control of the external borders, was signed on 14 June 1985.
It was signed by the five following European countries:
France, Germany, Belgium, Luxemburg, and the Netherlands, in Schengen, a small village in Southern Luxemburg on the river Moselle.
The agreement came into force on March 26, 1995 – by then Spain and Portugal had also joined.
Chronology of the expansion of the Schengen area
Belgium
Germany
Netherlands
Luxembourg
France
Spain
Portugal
Austria
Greece
Italy
Denmark
Iceland
Norway
Finland
Sweden
Poland
Hungary
Latvia
Lithuania
Malta
Slovakia
Slovenia
Czech Republic
Estonia
Switzerland
Liechtenstein
- Belgium
- Germany
- Netherlands
- Luxembourg
- France
- Spain
- Portugal
- Austria
- Greece
- Italy
- Denmark
- Iceland
- Norway
- Finland
- Sweden
- Poland
- Hungary
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Malta
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Czech Republic
- Estonia
- Switzerland
- Liechtenstein
Schengen rules
- 01abolish visas at internal borders
- 02unify visa types and entry and exit rules for foreign nationals
- 03establish information exchange between the police and the courts
What is the difference between
the Schengen Area and the European Union
The Schengen zone is a territory of 26 states that have simplified visas and customs controls at internal borders.
The European Union is an economic and political association of 27 states. The governments of the European Union not only abolished visas between themselves, but also voluntarily transferred some powers to the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union.
The borders of Schengen and the European Union are not the same. Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland have signed the Schengen Agreement, but are not part of the European Union. The Schengen map includes Madeira, the Azores and the Canary Islands, which are located in the Atlantic Ocean
