Basic Information on Schengen Cooperation

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Method of ensuring security in an area without borders

The most visible feature of the Schengen Area is the abolishment of border checks at the internal borders between Schengen countries. In order to make sure that introduction of free movement of persons does not result in the rise of crime, an onrush of illegal migrants and overall drop in the level of security, the Schengen rules form a comprehensive system of measures compensating for the abolishment of checks at the internal borders.

This applies namely to the rules concerning:

• the protection of external borders of the states in the Schengen Area and the checks of the persons crossing their borders,

• the entry and stay of third country nationals (i.e. nationals from countries outside the Schengen Area, EU and Liechtenstein),

• cooperation between judicial and police authorities,

• sharing information on some persons and matters important for ensuring security and rule of law in the common area (mainly via the Schengen Information System),

• the protection of provided and shared personal data.
  
  

The necessary compensatory measures also include common rules for granting asylum and acquiring, holding and handing over firearms and ammunition, which, however, soon started to evolve through their own processes and today are basically no longer considered to be Schengen standards. However, there is no doubt that the abolishment of checks would not be possible without cooperation in these areas.

In the event of a serious threat to public order or internal security, the Schengen rules allow a Member State to re-introduce the protection of its internal borders as an exception, i.e. to resume carrying out border checks. However, this limitation can be adopted for a limited period of time not exceeding 30 days or for a foreseeable period of the duration of the serious threat. The extent and period of the temporary re-introduction of the protection of internal borders must not exceed what is absolutely necessary to tackle the serious threat concerned.

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