What Is The Schengen Agreement About

This means that Schengen Member States that were not part of the EU have few formally binding options to influence the development and development of Schengen rules; their options are effectively reduced to approval or exit from the agreement. However, consultations are being held with the countries concerned prior to the adoption of certain new provisions. [14] Now that the Schengen Agreement is part of the Community acquis, it has lost to EU members the treaty status which could only be changed on its terms. Instead, changes are made in accordance with the EU`s legislative procedure under the EU treaties. [12] Ratification by the former signatory states is not necessary to amend or repeal all or part of the previous Schengen acquis. [13] Acts setting out the conditions for accession to the Schengen area are now adopted by a majority of the EU`s legislative bodies. The new EU Member States do not sign the Schengen Agreement as such, but are required to implement the Schengen rules within the framework of existing EU legislation, which any new entrant must accept. [Citation required] Differences of opinion between Member States led to a deadlock in the abolition of border controls within the Community, but in 1985 five of the ten Member States at the time – Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and West Germany – signed an agreement on the phasing out of border controls. The agreement was signed on the princess Marie-Astrid boat in Moselle, near the city of Schengen,[5] where the territories of France, Germany and Luxembourg meet. Three of the signatories, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, had already abolished common border controls under the Benelux Economic Union. [Citation required] Originally, the Schengen treaties and the rules adopted between them were officially independent of the EEC and its successor, the European Union (EU). In 1999, the Treaty of Amsterdam incorporated them into EU law, which codified Schengen into EU law and also introduced opt-outs for Ireland and the Kingdom, the latter having taken place since its withdrawal from the EU. EU Member States that do not yet have an opt-out and have not yet joined the Schengen area are legally obliged to do so if they meet the technical requirements.