On December 21, 2007, Poland, along with eight other nations, became a member of the Schengen Area, enabling free movement across member states without border checks. The agreement allowed travelers to cross internal borders with a valid identity document, streamlining movement across Europe.
Expansion of the Schengen Area
Currently, the Schengen Area comprises 29 countries, 25 of which are EU members. Non-EU states, including Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein, also participate. Originally established in 1995, the agreement began with France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, growing significantly over the years.
While Poland formally joined the EU in 2004, Schengen’s Article 20, permitting free border crossings without checks, came into effect for the country in 2007. Alongside Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta, Slovakia, and Slovenia joined on the same day, marking a significant expansion of the zone.