Is Schengen Closing?

Until very recently, Schengen Zone was perceived as the main engine for the European Integration. With the crisis that started in 2009, many important changes in the European Union legislation happened. Since the refugee crisis outbreak, there was one integration ship’s mast that was visible and it was associated with the euro area. The crisis with the refugees placed the existence of the European Union to a very serious test. And now as the threat is not over yet, a new integration ship is to be seen – that of Schengen. The reason for that lies in the terrorist attacks in Paris, dating 13th November, when 130 innocent people have lost their lives and many others were injured.

Because of the refugee crisis, the Schengen zone had a very central stage in the disintegration forecasts. And the terrorist attacks in Paris changed that situation to a significant level. The feelings of solidarity with France made way for the integration deepening in the sphere of counter-terrorism and security within Schengen.

During the emergency meeting of the ministers of justice and home affairs on 20th November, it became clear that the answer to the terrorist attacks should come from Europe as a whole and not from the individual nations. According to the European program for security, that should be based on a mutual trust. That however, is bad for the countries that are outside the Schengen area, as these countries are either not ready or there is no trust in them. Bulgaria is not a member of the Schengen zone, even if it protects the outer borders of the European Union and is technically ready to become a member for many years now.

The ministers gave a task to the European Council to prepare a proposal for changing the code on the Schengen zone borders. This means that there will be a legal ground on which to be made a systematic control of EU citizens and collection of biometric information. The ministers also requested for widening the mandate of the European border agency Frontex and for establishing regional information exchange platforms with the Western Balkans states. This means that there is no trust in Romania and Bulgaria, as the two states remain outside the Schengen zone. And even if the Schengen information system is working in Bulgaria, the system is not fully opened to the country.

Yet, as a conclusion from the meeting, it became clear that Schengen is not falling apart but is integrating.