Schengen acquis

The Schengen acquis comprises:[1] The free movement of persons was a core part of the original Treaty of Rome and, from the early days of the European Economic Community, nationals of EEC member states could travel freely from one member state to another on production of their passports or national identity cards.

Three of the signatories Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands had already abolished common border controls as part of the Benelux Economic Union.

[citation needed] The Schengen Agreement was signed independently of the European Union, in part owing to the lack of consensus amongst EU member states over whether or not the EU had the jurisdiction to abolish border controls,[4] and in part because those ready to implement the idea did not wish to wait for others (at this time there was no enhanced co-operation mechanism).

[5] In 1990, the Agreement was supplemented by the Schengen Convention which proposed the abolition of internal border controls and a common visa policy.

[10] Legal acts setting out the conditions for entry into the Schengen Area are now made by majority vote in the legislative bodies of the European Union.