Schengen Agreement

Ziel
International agreement among the members of the European Community (EC) on the abolition of border controls as well as common security and asylum policies.

Vertragsgegenstand
The Schengen I Agreement is concluded on June 14, 1985 between Belgium, the Federal Republic of Germany, France, Luxemburg, and the Netherlands. It stipulates abolition of all personal, goods, and vehicle controls at mutual borders, but it is not implemented as intended on January 1, 1991. Italy, Portugal, Spain, Greece, and Austria join the agreement later. The border controls are abolished only after provisions of Schengen Agreement II (June 19, 1990) are implemented regarding guarantees of domestic security and crime-fighting measures. Both agreements enter into force March 26, 1995.