EU Migration and Homeaffairs
2023 State of Schengen: achievements and key priorities
-
Consolidating Schengen governance: The new Schengen evaluation framework with targeted country recommendations will further help Member States to strengthen their operational capacity. On this basis, the Schengen Council will be able to recommend Schengen-wide reforms and actions.
-
Further strengthening EU external borders: implementing the new strategic approach on European Integrated Border Management, delivering on the Entry-Exit System.
-
Enhance the effectiveness of the return system: making use of SIS, maximising the possibilities under the Commission Recommendation on mutual recognition of return decisions and on expediting returns.
-
Enhance internal security of the Schengen area to fight against organised crime and drugs trafficking: from full operationalisation of the Council Recommendation on police cooperation to improving intelligence sharing and common risk analysis.
-
Schengen enlargement: the Commission calls once again on the Council to further strengthen European unity and allow Romania and Bulgaria to fully join Schengen.
-
Phasing out long-lasting internal border controls and replacing these by alternative police cooperation measures. Reintroducing border controls must remain exceptional, strictly limited in time and a measure of last resort. The Commission will launch a formal consultation process under Article 27 of the Schengen Borders Code with all concerned Member States and is prepared to make use of legal means at its disposal should these consultations not result in a clear commitment to change.
-
Better use of EU visa policy tools to address irregular migration and security risks to ensure the monitoring of the functioning of the visa free regimes, alignment of third partners’ visa policy with the one of the EU, as well as the abolishment of risky investor citizenship and residence schemes.
Link: https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/news/2023-state-schengen-achievements-and-key-priorities-2023-05-31_en, dated May 31, 2023 8:53 pm
