State of Schengen 2024: Advancements and Priorities

The Schengen area has emerged as a global leader in free travel, facilitating seamless journeys for nearly 450 million people and bolstering the European Union's competitiveness. The European Commission's latest report on the State of Schengen reflects on the achievements of 2023 while outlining priorities for the year ahead.

A strong year for the world's largest free travel area

Throughout 2023, Schengen's resilience remained evident, and the area maintained its position as the world's top tourist destination. With over 10 million Schengen visas issued and more than half a billion passengers crossing its borders, activity reached an impressive 92 percent of pre-pandemic levels. This robust activity significantly fueled the EU economy, underscoring the vital role of tourism, which contributes nearly 10 percent of the EU's GDP and sustains approximately 22.6 million jobs.

Progress across the 2023-2024 cycle

The report offers a comprehensive overview of Schengen's progress, challenges, and advancements over the 2023-2024 cycle. While acknowledging effective adherence to Schengen rules overall, it also identifies areas for improvement:

• Strengthened legislative framework: new regulations, including the Schengen Borders Code, the Advance Passenger Information Regulation, and the Directive on Information Exchange between law enforcement authorities, aim to enhance security and streamline border procedures
• Enhanced governance: the Schengen Council's role has been strengthened, using tools such as the Schengen Evaluation and Monitoring Mechanism, the Schengen Scoreboard, and Schengen Barometer+ to support efficient data analysis and cooperation among member states
• Expansion efforts: steps have been taken to integrate Bulgaria and Romania into the Schengen area, marking a significant milestone with the lifting of controls at air and sea borders as of March 31, 2024, though lifting checks at internal land borders still requires a further Council decision
• Embracing alternatives: the report emphasizes exploring alternatives to internal border controls, such as cross-border police cooperation, as recommended by the Commission

What the evaluations found

Building on the peer-to-peer evaluations conducted in 2023, the report highlights the need for improved application of Schengen rules, particularly around border control quality, return capacities, use of the Schengen Information System, and cross-border information exchange.

A new proposal to strengthen Schengen

For the first time, the Commission has proposed a Council Recommendation aimed at strengthening the Schengen area, focused on several key actions:

• Leveraging the governance framework to enhance implementation of common priorities
• Enhancing border security and resilience, including cooperation with third countries
• Advancing digitalization for improved efficiency and security
• Intensifying efforts against cross-border crime and unauthorized movements
• Improving cooperation for an effective EU system for returns

Nestlers Group continues to track developments in Schengen policy, as they have a direct bearing on cross-border mobility, work permits, and relocation planning for employers operating across the region.

Sources: European Commission