Schengen and the reintroduction of internal border controls

Abstract

The Schengen Area, which currently comprises twenty-six countries, has represented one of the most far-reaching achievements in the process of European integration. Since 1995, controls at internal borders have been abolished and citizens have been granted the right of free movement of persons within the area./nToday, however, the future of Schengen seems to be at risk. Following the provisions of the Schengen Borders Code (SBC), several Member States have decided to reintroduce controls at its internal borders. In the context of the on-going refugee and migration crisis and the rise of terrorist threats, the EU is facing major challenges and has the arduous task of appropriately addressing them./nThe aim of this study is to analyse the SBC‘s provisions under which such reintroductions can be carried out and to provide an understanding of the recent situations where such exceptional measures have been taken. Furthermore, we will take a close look at the role of the European Commission and finally discuss the actions that could help ease our current situation./nAll in all, we will reveal the most relevant questions surrounding border management and reflect on the present as well as the future of the Schengen Area.