The border of the European Union consists of the land borders that member states of the EU share with non-EU states adjacent to the union.
The border of the European Union consists of the land borders that member states of the EU share with non-EU states adjacent to the union.
In 2004 the European Union developed the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) for the promotion of cooperation between the EU and its neighbours to the east and south of the European territory of the EU (i.e., excluding its outermost regions outside of Europe), [1] which, in part, includes the Cross-Border Cooperation programme aimed at the promotion of economic development in border areas and ensuring border security. [2]
The Border and Coast Guard Agency, more commonly known as Frontex, was established in 2004. Its main task is external border control of the Schengen Area. Most of its activities are coordinated with the coast and border guards of member states.
| Border | Member state | Non-member state | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austria–Liechtenstein border | Austria | Liechtenstein | Schengen border [note 1] |
| Austria–Switzerland border | Austria | Switzerland | Schengen border [note 1] |
| Bulgaria–North Macedonia border | Bulgaria | North Macedonia | |
| Bulgaria–Serbia border | Bulgaria | Serbia | |
| Bulgaria–Turkey border | Bulgaria | Turkey | |
| Croatia–Bosnia and Herzegovina border | Croatia | Bosnia and Herzegovina | |
| Croatia–Montenegro border | Croatia | Montenegro | |
| Croatia–Serbia border | Croatia | Serbia | |
| Cyprus–Akrotiri and Dhekelia | Cyprus | Akrotiri and Dhekelia (United Kingdom) | Akrotiri and Dhekelia are British overseas territories, and have never been a part of the EU |
| Cyprus-Northern Cyprus border | Cyprus | Northern Cyprus | The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is a self-proclaimed country covering the northeastern part of the island of Cyprus. Currently only Turkey recognises the independence of Northern Cyprus. |
| Estonia–Russia border | Estonia | Russia | |
| Finland–Norway border | Finland | Norway | Schengen border [note 1] |
| Finland–Russia border | Finland | Russia | |
| France–Andorra border | France | Andorra | |
| France–Brazil border | France | Brazil | Located in French Guiana. |
| France–Monaco border | France | Monaco | microstate border [note 2] |
| France–Suriname border | France | Suriname | Located in French Guiana. |
| France–Switzerland border | France | Switzerland | Schengen border [note 1] |
| France-United Kingdom border | France | United Kingdom | Located in the Channel Tunnel [note 3] |
| Germany–Switzerland border | Germany | Switzerland | Schengen border [note 1] |
| Greece–Albania border | Greece | Albania | |
| Greece–North Macedonia border | Greece | North Macedonia | |
| Greece–Turkey border | Greece | Turkey | |
| Hungary–Serbia border | Hungary | Serbia | |
| Hungary–Ukraine border | Hungary | Ukraine | |
| Italy–San Marino border | Italy | San Marino | microstate border [note 2] |
| Italy–Switzerland border | Italy | Switzerland | Schengen border [note 1] |
| Italy–Vatican City border | Italy | Vatican City | microstate border [note 2] |
| Latvia–Belarus border | Latvia | Belarus | |
| Latvia–Russia border | Latvia | Russia | |
| Lithuania–Belarus border | Lithuania | Belarus | |
| Lithuania–Russia border | Lithuania | Russia | |
| Poland–Belarus border | Poland | Belarus | |
| Poland–Russia border | Poland | Russia | |
| Poland–Ukraine border | Poland | Ukraine | |
| Republic of Ireland–United Kingdom border | Ireland | United Kingdom | |
| Romania–Moldova border | Romania | Moldova | |
| Romania–Serbia border | Romania | Serbia | |
| Romania–Ukraine border | Romania | Ukraine | |
| Slovakia–Ukraine border | Slovakia | Ukraine | |
| Spain–Andorra border | Spain | Andorra | |
| Spain–Gibraltar border | Spain | Gibraltar (United Kingdom) | Gibraltar is a British overseas territory |
| Spain–Morocco border | Spain | Morocco | |
| Sweden–Norway border | Sweden | Norway | Schengen border [note 1] |
| border | state A | state B | notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cyprus–Northern Cyprus border | Cyprus | Northern Cyprus | Northern Cyprus is a de facto state recognised only by Turkey. Its territory is considered by the international community to be part of the Republic of Cyprus, a EU member. |
| France–Netherlands border | France | Netherlands | The border between Saint-Martin and Sint Maarten. Both countries are in the EU, but this is not a Schengen border, as the territories are not in Schengen. See Franco-Dutch treaty on Saint Martin border controls. |
| Border | From | Until |
|---|---|---|
| Austria–Czech Republic border | 1995 | 2004 |
| Austria–(West) Germany border | 1958 | 1995 |
| Austria–Hungary border | 1995 | 2004 |
| Austria–Italy border | 1958 | 1995 |
| Austria–Slovakia border | 1995 | 2004 |
| Austria–Slovenia border | 1995 | 2004 |
| Denmark–West Germany border | 1958 | 1973 |
| France–Spain border | 1958 | 1986 |
| West German–East German border | 1958 | 1990 |
| Germany–Czech Republic border (previously (West) Germany–Czechoslovakia border) | 1958, 1990 | 2004 |
| Germany–Poland border | 1990 | 2004 |
| Italy–Slovenia border border (previously Italy–Yugoslavia border) | 1958 | 2004 |
| Hungary–Romania border | 2004 | 2007 |
| Greece–Bulgaria border | 1981 | 2007 |
| Hungary–Croatia border | 2004 | 2013 |
| Slovenia–Croatia border | 2004 | 2013 |
The Schengen Agreement is a treaty which led to the creation of Europe's Schengen Area, in which internal border checks have largely been abolished. It was signed on 14 June 1985, near the town of Schengen, Luxembourg, by five of the ten member states of the then European Economic Community. It proposed measures intended to gradually abolish border checks at the signatories' common borders, including reduced-speed vehicle checks which allowed vehicles to cross borders without stopping, allowing residents in border areas freedom to cross borders away from fixed checkpoints, and the harmonisation of visa policies.
The European Union has a number of relationships with foreign states. According to the European Union's official site, and a statement by Commissioner Günter Verheugen, the aim is to have a ring of countries, sharing EU's democratic ideals and joining them in further integration without necessarily becoming full member states.
The European Border and Coast Guard Agency, commonly known as Frontex, is an agency of the European Union headquartered in Warsaw, Poland, exercising in coordination with the border and coast guards of member states the border control of the European Schengen Area, a task within the area of freedom, security and justice domain.
The State Border Guard Service or VSAT is a border control institution under the Ministry of the Interior charged with controlling and maintaining the security of the Lithuanian borders on land, in the Baltic Sea and the Curonian Lagoon. VSAT is a member of the EU Frontex and is responsible for the security of about 1,070 kilometres (660 mi) of the external border of the European Union with Kaliningrad Oblast and Belarus.
The visa policy of the Schengen Area is a component within the wider area of freedom, security and justice policy of the European Union. It applies to the Schengen Area and to other EU member states except Ireland. The visa policy allows nationals of certain countries to enter the Schengen Area via air, land or sea without a visa for stays of up to 90 days within a 180-day period. Nationals of certain other countries are required to have a visa either upon arrival or in transit.
The Salzburg Forum (SF) is a Central European security partnership of Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. Member states cooperate in areas of police cooperation, illegal immigration, witness protection, fight against drugs, traffic safety and other areas of internal security. They also focus on positions coordination and advancing common interests in the European Union in the area of Home Affairs. At least two conferences of interior ministers per year are held. As a rule, three SF ministerial meetings are held per year. One meeting takes place in the country holding the presidency and one further meeting is usually held in summer in Austria. In addition, ministers regularly meet in the margins of EU Council meetings.
The Schengen Area is an area comprising 27 European countries that have officially abolished many passport and many other types of border control at their mutual borders. Being an element within the wider area of freedom, security and justice policy of the European Union (EU), it mostly functions as a single jurisdiction under a common visa policy for international travel purposes. The area is named after the 1985 Schengen Agreement and the 1990 Schengen Convention, both signed in Schengen, Luxembourg.
Christos Papoutsis is a Greek socialist politician who has served as Minister for Citizen Protection (2010–12), Mercantile Marine Minister (2000–01) Member of the European Parliament (1984–95) and European Commissioner for Energy and Euratom Supply Agency, Small business and Tourism (1995–1999). He has also served as the Secretary of the Parliamentary Group and Parliamentary Spokesman for the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK), the majority party in Greece (2009–2010). He also was candidate for Mayor of Athens (2002).
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The Schengen acquis is a set of rules and legislation, integrated into European Union law, which regulate the abolition of border controls at the internal borders within the Schengen Area, as well as the strengthening of border controls at the external borders.
The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is a planned electronic authorisation system of the European Union for visa-exempt visitors travelling to the European Union or the Schengen Area, as well as Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Romania with the exception of Ireland, which is part of the Common Travel Area. It is expected to become operational in May 2025, although officials note the possibility of delays.
The European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (eu-LISA) is an agency of the European Union (EU) that was founded in 2011 to ensure the uninterrupted operation of large-scale IT systems within the area of freedom, security and justice (AFSJ), that are instrumental in the implementation of the asylum, border management and migration policies of the EU. It began its operational activities on 1 December 2012. The current establishing regulation entered into force on 11 December 2018, repealing the previous regulation and expanding the Agency's mandate. The new mandate strengthens the Agency's capacity to improve, design and develop information systems for European security, border management and migration, and broadens the scope of the Agency's work on research, innovation, testing and on the possibility to support the development of pilot projects and proofs of concept.
The migration and asylum policy of the European Union is within the area of freedom, security and justice, established to develop and harmonise principles and measures used by member countries of the European Union to regulate migration processes and to manage issues concerning asylum and refugee status in the European Union.
Operation HERA is a joint maritime operation by the European Union established to manage migration flows and stop irregular migrants along the Western African Route, from the western shores of Africa to the Canary Islands, Spain. The operation was implemented following an increase in migrants arriving at the Canary Islands in 2006. It remains an annual operation managed by Spain and the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX).