The European Economic and Social Committee has welcomed the new EU strategy for the future of the Schengen area put forward by the European Commission. However, it has warned that the EU and Member States are obliged to uphold the Charter of Fundamental Rights with regard to the management of EU and national borders, police and judicial cooperation and migration and asylum policies.

Its call for action in the opinion on the new strategy, adopted at its October plenary session, comes after worrisome reports of fundamental rights violations at the EU's external borders, which the EESC finds extremely concerning.

"We are asking the European Commission and the European Border and Coast Guard Agency to monitor and fix these worrying issues and to follow up on reports of fundamental rights violations without delay," said the rapporteur for the opinion, Ionuţ Sibian.

The EESC noted that in recent years, the Schengen area has faced some tough challenges to its consistent application. The 2015 refugee crisis exposed shortcomings in the EU's approach to managing external borders and migration, while the COVID-19 pandemic prompted temporary reinstatements of internal borders. Disruptions to the Schengen area have harmed businesses, workers, border communities and cross-border cooperation.

The EESC stressed that the Commission should regularly and carefully monitor and assess the need for and extent of these reinstatements, taking action when needed.

In the opinion, the Committee also urged the Council to take swift action to end the continued exclusion of Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania from the full application of the Schengen Treaty.

"People in Cyprus, Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia still do not fully enjoy their rights as EU citizens as they are excluded from the Schengen area. The EESC supports their inclusion. These countries are keen to take part, and Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania already control their external borders in line with the Schengen Borders Code," said Mr Sibian.

The EESC strongly supports updating the Schengen Borders Code to include the lessons learned from the pandemic. It also calls for the strengthening of the Consultative Forum on Fundamental Rights and the involvement of organised civil society via the EESC. (ll)