Borders and security

What the EU does

Romania joining the Schengen area - Calafat

At EU level, effective border management ensures the functioning and security of the Schengen Area, an area without internal borders, where EU citizens, non-EU residents and visitors can travel safely and freely. The Schengen area guarantees free movement to more than 450 million citizens in 29 countries.

This unique framework also contributes to the competitiveness of the single market and to the economic growth across the European Union, facilitating seamless movement of people, goods and services. This freedom is part of the European way of life and is highly appreciated by both citizens and companies.

Schengen countries work closely together on matters of security and migration. This cooperation includes a common visa policy, joint police operations, and real-time information exchanges between law enforcement agencies as well as procedures to return those with no legal right to stay.

Large-scale IT systems, like the Schengen Information System (SIS), play a key role in managing borders. They are designed to help identify threats, while safeguarding fundamental rights, including protection of personal data.

Facts about the Schengen area

450 million

people live in the Schengen area

3.5 million

people cross internal borders everyday

32 million

enterprises in the Schengen area benefit from faster transportation, reduced costs and boosted trade volume

Areas of action

External border management

Rules for crossing the EU’s external borders, including the types of required visas, procedures for issuing and checking visas, and security checks at the border.

Applying for a Schengen visa

Conditions for entry into the Schengen area

Travel document requirements

Rules on the documents needed for movement within the Schengen area

Cross-border police cooperation

Mechanisms enabling cooperation amongst law enforcement authorities

Schengen governance

A framework ensuring the effective functioning of the Schengen area

Key achievements

In 2025, the EU celebrates the 40th anniversary of Schengen. 29 countries (25 EU countries and 4 associated) are full members of the Schengen area without internal frontiers where 450 million people can travel without passport control. It helps millions of people who cross borders daily and 32 million enterprises who may benefit from easier access to the internal market.
Shifting border controls to our common external borders has reduced paperwork, waiting times and costs. It has fundamentally transformed how people live, work and travel for the better.
Reducing barriers internally was accompanied by increased cooperation between police forces, customs authorities and external border control authorities, helping to make Europe more secure and reinforcing our external borders and managing migration more effectively. This is essential to fight terrorism, organised crime and hybrid threats.
Schengen Information System (SIS) is the most widely used and largest information sharing system for security and border management in Europe and allows authorities to share and access security alerts in real time across Schengen.
Schengen is a major driver of competitiveness and a true enabler of the single market. Since workers and goods can move freely, companies are able to reduce administrative costs and access larger markets at the same time.
The same goes for the tourism and cultural sectors. Schengen simplifies travel, making Europe an even more attractive tourist destination. For example, visitors coming from non-Schengen countries can access all Schengen 29 countries with just one Schengen visa. This in turn directly benefits revenues for local businesses and economies.

In focus

The 2025 State of the Schengen report

The State of Schengen report, published annually by the European Commission, assesses how Schengen countries are implementing key policies, highlights challenges, and identifies areas for improvement.

The 2025 State of Schengen report, adopted in April 2025 by the Commission, provides a comprehensive assessment of the functioning of the Schengen area - a zone of freedom, security and justice without internal frontiers.

As the world's most visited destination, Schengen welcomes over 500 million visitors each year, who enjoy safe and seamless travel thanks to the thorough work of around 120,000 border guards. Moreover, in 2024, intensified cooperation among Schengen countries led to a sharp decline in irregular crossings at the common external borders and a significant rise in returns of third-country nationals without legal stay.