Fractured Europe: the Schengen Area and European border security

The simultaneous ‘crises’ of irregular migration and terrorism have demonstrated the continued importance of border security for Schengen member states and the EU as a whole.

The principles of the EU have become closely aligned with the existence of the Schengen Area, which created a distinction between ‘internal’ and ‘external’ borders in Europe; it also created a tension between the goals of European integration and the core Westphalian principle of state sovereignty.

This paper assesses some of the factors behind member states resorting to national over collective action in response to recent challenges, exploring the role of intelligence and institutions such as Frontex, before ultimately arguing for the creation of a European Agenda on Border Security to provide a strategic framework for border security in Europe.