The Schengen Agreement, signed in 1985, establishes a free movement zone without internal border controls. To date, the Schengen area covers 4 million square kilometers, with more than 450 million people. Twenty-nine countries have joined the agreements: all EU members except Ireland and Cyprus, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. The agreement provides that, in exceptional cases, member states have the possibility to temporarily reintroduce border controls, in whole or in part, at their internal borders.
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How the suspension works
According to the agreement, the reintroduction of border controls is a measure that must be adopted as a last resort, in case of serious threat to public order or internal security. Although individual member states have the prerogative to decide, the European Commission, in some cases, may have a say on the necessity and proportionality of the measure.
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For unforeseeable events, a member state can immediately reintroduce border controls without any notice for one month (not extendable beyond three months). However, other member states, the European Parliament, the Council, and the European Commission must be informed.
In foreseeable situations, instead, the duration of the reintroduction of border control is limited to 6 months, extendable up to a maximum of three years in exceptional situations.
