The cooperation in the Schengen area

The Schengen area is a territory which allows free entry and movement of people, who are residents of the member states included in the agreement. Several attempts have been made by Bulgaria in order to enter the passport free Schengen zone. Technically, the country is prepared for that important step, however there are certain issues that the country has to overcome in order to become a member of Schengen. The countries that are included in the Schengen Agreement had abolished their internal borders and have one single external border. In this passport free zone people can travel without the need of visas for the short stays.

In order to guarantee the security in the Schengen zone, the countries do cooperate. What does this include? The police departments in the member countries of the Schengen agreement cooperate and coordinate their efforts, and the same do the judicial authorities. This cooperation in Schengen has been legally incorporated in the European Union with the Amsterdam Treaty from 1997. Yet, not all countries that are cooperating in Schengen are part of the Schengen area. Bulgaria is also one of these countries, yet there are indications that at some point Bulgaria will enter the Schengen zone one it covers all the conditions for the application of the Schengen acquis.

Since 1985 several countries formed a territory without any internal borders and this became known as the Schengen area. The member states of the Schengen area are Germany and France, Luxembourg and Belgium, as well as the Netherlands.