Membership
Kingdom
The Schengen Area currently consists of 26 states, including 4 which are not members of the European Union (EU). Two of the non-EU members, Iceland and Norway, are part of the Nordic Passport Union and are officially classified as states associated with the Schengen activities of the EU. Switzerland was subsequently allowed to participate in the same manner in 2008. Liechtenstein joined the Schengen Area on 19 December 2011. De facto, the Schengen Area also includes three European micro-states, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican City, that maintain open or semi-open borders with other Schengen member countries. Two EU members – Ireland and the United Kingdom – have negotiated opt-outs from Schengen and continue to operate the Common Travel Area systematic border controls with other EU member states.
Before fully implementing the Schengen rules, each state needs to have its preparedness assessed in four areas: air borders, visas, police cooperation, and personal data protection. This evaluation process involves a questionnaire and visits by EU experts to selected institutions and workplaces in the country under assessment.
| Flag | State | Area |
Population |
Signed or opted in |
Date of first implementation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | 700483871000000000083,871 | 70068414638000000008,414,638 | 01995-04-2828 April 1995 | 01997-12-011 December 1997 | |
| Belgium | 700430528000000000030,528 | 700711007020000000011,007,020 | 01985-06-1414 June 1985 | 01995-03-2626 March 1995 | |
| Czech Republic | 700478866000000000078,866 | 700710535811000000010,535,811 | 02004-05-011 May 2004 | 02007-12-2121 December 2007b | |
| Denmark |
700443094000000000043,094 | 70065564219000000005,564,219 | 01996-12-1919 December 1996 | 02001-03-2525 March 2001 | |
| Estonia | 700445226000000000045,226 | 70061340194000000001,340,194 | 02004-05-011 May 2004 | 02007-12-2121 December 2007b | |
| Finland | 7005338145000000000338,145 | 70065391700000000005,391,700 | 01996-12-1919 December 1996 | 02001-03-2525 March 2001 | |
| France |
7005674843000000000674,843 | 700765821885000000065,821,885 | 01985-06-1414 June 1985 | 01995-03-2626 March 1995 | |
| Germany | 7005357050000000000357,050 | 700781799600000000081,799,600 | 01985-06-1414 June 1985 | 01995-03-2626 March 1995c | |
| Greece | 7005131990000000000131,990 | 700710787690000000010,787,690 | 01992-11-066 November 1992 | 02000-03-2626 March 2000 | |
| Hungary | 700493030000000000093,030 | 70069979000000000009,979,000 | 02004-05-011 May 2004 | 02007-12-2121 December 2007b | |
| Icelanda | 7005103000000000000103,000 | 7005318452000000000318,452 | 01996-12-1919 December 1996 | 02001-03-2525 March 2001 | |
| Italy | 7005301318000000000301,318 | 700760681514000000060,681,514 | 01990-11-2727 November 1990 | 01997-10-2626 October 1997 | |
| Latvia | 700464589000000000064,589 | 70062245357000000002,245,357 | 02004-05-011 May 2004 | 02007-12-2121 December 2007b | |
| Liechtensteina | 7002160000000000000160 | 700436010000000000036,010 | 02008-02-2828 February 2008 | 02011-12-1919 December 2011 | |
| Lithuania | 700465303000000000065,303 | 70063207060000000003,207,060 | 02004-05-011 May 2004 | 02007-12-2121 December 2007b | |
| Luxembourg | 70032586000000000002,586 | 7005511840000000000511,840 | 01985-06-1414 June 1985 | 01995-03-2626 March 1995 | |
| Malta | 7002316000000000000316 | 7005417608000000000417,608 | 02004-05-011 May 2004 | 02007-12-2121 December 2007b | |
| Netherlands |
700441526000000000041,526 | 700716703700000000016,703,700 | 01985-06-1414 June 1985 | 01995-03-2626 March 1995 | |
| Norwaya |
7005385155000000000385,155 | 70064993300000000004,993,300 | 01996-12-1919 December 1996 | 02001-03-2525 March 2001 | |
| Poland | 7005312683000000000312,683 | 700738186860000000038,186,860 | 02004-05-011 May 2004 | 02007-12-2121 December 2007b | |
| Portugal | 700492391000000000092,391 | 700710647763000000010,647,763 | 01992-06-2525 June 1992 | 01995-03-2626 March 1995 | |
| Slovakia | 700449037000000000049,037 | 70065440078000000005,440,078 | 02004-05-011 May 2004 | 02007-12-2121 December 2007b | |
| Slovenia | 700420273000000000020,273 | 70062048951000000002,048,951 | 02004-05-011 May 2004 | 02007-12-2121 December 2007b | |
| Spain |
7005506030000000000506,030 | 700746030109000000046,030,109 | 01992-06-2525 June 1992 | 01995-03-2626 March 1995 | |
| Sweden | 7005449964000000000449,964 | 70069415570000000009,415,570 | 01996-12-1919 December 1996 | 02001-03-2525 March 2001 | |
| Switzerlanda | 700441285000000000041,285 | 70067866500000000007,866,500 | 02004-10-2626 October 2004 | 02008-12-1212 December 2008 | |
| Schengen Area | 70064312259000000004,312,259 | 7008419392429000000419,392,429 | 01985-06-1414 June 1985 | 01995-03-2626 March 1995 |
Read more about this topic: Schengen Area
Famous quotes containing the word membership:
“The two real political parties in America are the Winners and the Losers. The people don’t acknowledge this. They claim membership in two imaginary parties, the Republicans and the Democrats, instead.”
—Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (b. 1922)