On 14 June 1985, 5 European countries laid the foundations of a revolutionary project: enabling citizens to travel, live, study or work freely, without being subject to checks at internal borders. 40 years later, this commitment to freedom of movement has become a concrete reality for more than 400 million Europeans.
The Schengen area now comprises 29 states, united by a shared determination to make Europe a space of mobility, openness and enhanced cooperation.
For the Mouvement Réformateur, the Schengen area is the very embodiment of a useful Europe. It simplifies citizens' daily lives, boosts economic activity and strengthens our sense of shared belonging. In Belgium, thousands of cross-border workers, entrepreneurs and students benefit from it every day.
But while freedom of movement is a major achievement, it is not unconditional. It rests on an essential foundation: rigorous management of external borders. In this spirit, the MR advocates a firm, responsible and humane migration policy. It is essential to stop illegal immigration, dismantle smuggling networks and ensure that those entering the Schengen area respect our laws and values. Freedom cannot exist without security, and solidarity cannot be built without clarity.
On the occasion of Schengen's 40th anniversary, the MR Minister for Security and the Interior, Bernard Quintin, recalled in a speech Belgium's historic responsibility as a pioneer of European integration. He emphasised that long before the European Union, the Benelux countries set the example of successful cross-border cooperation. Unity makes strength: this Belgian motto finds a European resonance here.
The minister highlighted Schengen's fundamental achievements: peace, freedom, mobility, but also security. He called for greater cooperation between member states, particularly in the fight against drug trafficking, money laundering, human trafficking and arms trafficking. These threats are transnational and require coordinated European responses. Better harmonisation of legislation is essential to prevent criminals from exploiting loopholes in one state to establish their activities there.
The MR fully supports this vision of a Europe that acts, protects and unites. We need a strong, respected and respectable European police force. We also need greater vigilance at the Union's external borders, given growing geopolitical threats: war in Ukraine, tensions in the Middle East, jihadist networks, foreign interference.
Freedom of movement is not an immutable achievement. It must be defended with determination. It is a collective contract between states and their citizens, based on trust, responsibility and the rule of law. As Bernard Quintin reminded us: “no achievement, however essential, is ever definitively secured. It must be nurtured, respected and protected.”
In defending Schengen, the MR defends a particular vision of Europe: one of a strong, free and united union, where citizens' rights are protected, and where freedoms are never at odds with security, but are its primary condition.