Since then, Portugal has put in place several controls along its border with Spain, while the 2004 European Football Championship and Portugal hosted the NATO summit in Lisbon in 2010. The last checks were temporarily reinstated from May 10, 2017 to May 14, 2017, during Pope Francis` visit to the city of Fetima, Portugal. [17] The Schengen Agreement was signed independently of the European Union, partly because of the lack of consensus among EU Member States on whether the EU is responsible for the abolition of border controls[6] and, secondly, because those who were willing to implement the idea were not waiting for others (at that time , there was no enhanced cooperation mechanism). The agreement provided for a harmonization of visa policy allowing people in border areas to cross the borders of fixed checkpoints, replace passport controls with visual surveillance of vehicles at reduced speeds, and carry out vehicle checks allowing vehicles to cross borders without stopping. [1] In the event of a serious threat to public order or internal security, a Schengen country may, on an exceptional basis, temporarily reintroduce internal border controls for a limited period of 30 days. If such controls are reinstated, the other Schengen countries, the European Parliament and the Commission should be informed, as should the public. The free movement of people is a fundamental right that the EU guarantees to its citizens. It allows any EU citizen to travel, work and live in any EU country without any special formalities. Schengen cooperation strengthens this freedom by allowing citizens to cross internal borders without being subject to border controls. The borderless Schengen area guarantees the free movement of more than 400 million EU citizens, as well as many non-EU nationals, businessmen, tourists and others legally residing in the EU. Now that the Schengen Agreement is part of the Community acquis, it has lost to the EU Member States the status of a treaty which could only be amended in accordance with its terms. Instead, changes are made in accordance with the EU`s legislative procedure under the EU treaties.
[12] Ratification by the former signatory states is not necessary to amend or repeal all or part of the previous Schengen acquis. [13] Acts setting out the conditions for accession to the Schengen area are now adopted by a majority of the EU`s legislative bodies. The new EU Member States do not sign the Schengen Agreement as such, but are required to implement the Schengen rules within the framework of existing EU legislation, which any new entrant must accept. [Citation required] An agreement between 24 countries in Europe that allows people to cross borders without a passport and check their identity cards.