L’élargissement de l’espace Schengen : un moment historique et un moment émouvant

The text discusses the historical and emotional significance of the December 21, 2007, expansion of the Schengen Area, which integrated nine countries that joined the EU in 2004. It frames the removal of internal border controls as a realization of European citizenship and a move toward a shared identity. However, it also warns that the strengthening of external borders risks creating a "Fortress Europe" or a "new iron curtain," particularly affecting neighbors in Eastern Europe like Ukraine and Belarus.

• The expansion of the Schengen Area on December 21, 2007, added nearly 60 million inhabitants and over 500,000 km², representing an increase of 18% in population and 15% in surface area.
• For citizens of Central and Eastern Europe, the removal of border controls symbolizes the end of being treated as "second-class citizens" within the EU and marks a transition from the restrictions of the former Soviet totalitarian era.
• The integration of the Schengen Area is presented as a concrete application of the "Four Freedoms" of the European project, specifically the free movement of persons, which is essential for building a shared European identity.
• The removal of internal borders necessitates the strengthening of external borders, which increases pressure on the frontier states and leads to higher costs for third-country nationals; for example, the cost of a Schengen visa for Belarusian citizens increased tenfold from 6€ to 60€.
• There is a significant risk that the reinforced external borders will create a "Fortress Europe" or a "new iron curtain," causing feelings of exclusion in neighboring countries such as Ukraine and Russia.
• Despite the perceived impermeability of the EU's external borders, Central European countries are becoming targets for immigration, with an estimated 500,000 Ukrainians working in Poland and 100,000 to 200,000 in the Czech Republic.

APA

Geremek (2016). L’élargissement de l’espace Schengen : un moment historique et un moment émouvant. Green European Journal. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/leurope%e2%80%af-la-maison-commune/

Chicago

Geremek. L’élargissement de l’espace Schengen : un moment historique et un moment émouvant. Green European Journal, 2016. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/leurope%e2%80%af-la-maison-commune/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Geremek |title=L’élargissement de l’espace Schengen : un moment historique et un moment émouvant |publisher=Green European Journal |date=1 March 2016 |url=https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/leurope%e2%80%af-la-maison-commune/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{geremek2016llargissement, author = {Geremek}, title = {{L’élargissement de l’espace Schengen : un moment historique et un moment émouvant}}, publisher = {Green European Journal}, year = {2016}, month = mar, url = {https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/leurope%e2%80%af-la-maison-commune/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }