Schengen countries - an important stage in the formation of a united Europe

Today Europe is a place of attraction for tourists from all over the world. Thousands of people visit the area every year. To facilitate the passage through the borders of European states, a special control procedure was established, acting on the basis of the Schengen agreement. The Schengen countries adopted a unified visa system and developed common legal norms on which it operates. The history of signing the legal act, which laid the foundation of this system, is interesting.

The Schengen Agreement

The history of the Schengen Agreement begins on June 14, 1985. Initially, the joint document was approved by five European countries: Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, Germany and France. The signing place was the deck of a motor ship cruising the Moselle River near the town of Schengen. It is this Luxembourgish town that gave its name to the document. The signed agreement contained norms aimed at substantially simplifying border control between the participating states. This legal act laid the foundation Schengen Convention, which was adopted in 1990. In 2000, the Schengen rules became part of the regulatory framework of the European Union.

Which states are included in the Schengen zone?

Persons wishing to visit Europe are recorded in a single information base. All Schengen countries have access to this database. The list of these states includes: Austria, Belgium, Hungary, Greece, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Iceland, Italy, Lithuania, Latvia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Malta, Norway, Portugal, Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia, France, Finland, Czechia , Sweden, Switzerland, Estonia. There remain only a small number of European countries that are not yet covered by the agreement. The old rules of passport control have been preserved in Ireland and the United Kingdom. In the future, a few more states plan to bring their domestic legislation to the form by which the Schengen countries operate . 2013 can add to the main list of Cyprus, Bulgaria and Romania. To date, the rules of the Schengen EU legislation are not fully implemented in their territory.

Schengen visa

A visa granting the right to enter the Schengen countries is formalized by the diplomatic mission of any of the above states. At the same time, it is required to submit documents that certify the identity and financial viability of the tourist, and also confirm the purpose and route of the trip. The issued visas are divided into several types:

1. Type A. A visa of this type is issued for transit flights through the Schengen countries. Its presence allows the stay within the airport, but does not provide for the possibility of movement through the territory of the state.
2. Type B. Gives the right to travel on any land transport through all Schengen countries. The visa is urgent and issued for a period of 1 to 5 days.
3. Type C. Permits stay in the territory of the Schengen state. This visa is also urgent and lasts no more than 90 days.