Commission Outlines Schengen Reforms

The European Commission is announcing plans to reform the free-movement Schengen zone following significant blows to the functioning of the EU's checkless borders in 2020.

• Live link: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/topnews/M-006682
• Commission statement: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail...
• Commission Vice-President for Promoting our European Way of Life Margaritis Schinas stated that the functioning of the Schengen zone had been hit in recent years by the migrant crisis of 2014-16 and the pandemic in 2020-21, both of which saw Schengen members impose some form of restriction on travel to other members, in contravention of the zone's rules.
• Adopting the EU's New Pact on Migration and Asylum, hardening of external borders, and admitting non-Schengen EU member states Bulgaria, Croatia, and Romania to the zone are all put forwards as crucial for ensuring the success of the Schengen zone.
• The New Pact on Migration and Asylum remains a controversial proposal, with criticism from liberal groups and politicians alleging the Commission has given in too much to conservative member states. These nations will not have to accept a quota of migrants or refugees, and can instead offset this by providing administrative or financial support.