On 27 November 1990, in Paris, Italy signs the Agreement of Accession to the Convention of 19 June 1990 implementing the Agreement on the gradual abolition of checks at common borders signed in Schengen, Luxembourg, on 14 June 1985 by the representatives of Belgium, the Federal Republic of Germany, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

On 3 June 1991, during the debates in the French National Assembly on the ratification of the Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement of 27 November 1990 and of the bill to approve Italy’s accession to that Convention, Elisabeth Guigou, Minister Delegate for European Affairs, outlines the implications of the free movement of persons in Europe.

On 25 June 1991, in Bonn, Spain signs the Agreement of Accession to the Convention of 19 June 1990 implementing the Agreement on the gradual abolition of checks at common borders signed in Schengen, Luxembourg, on 14 June 1985 by the representatives of Belgium, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

On 25 June 1991, in Bonn, Portugal signs the Convention of 19 June 1990 implementing the Agreement on the gradual abolition of checks at common borders signed in Schengen, Luxembourg, on 14 June 1985 by the representatives of Belgium, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

On 12 February 1992, as the German Government passes the bill to ratify the Schengen Agreements, Rudolph Seiters, German Interior Minister, emphasises the political impact of the Agreements.

On 3 May 1993, the French daily newspaper Le Monde analyses the reasons why France wants to maintain controls at its border posts, contrary to the 1985 Agreement and the Schengen Convention of 19 June 1990 on the gradual abolition of checks at common borders.

On 22 November 1994, during the debates in the French National Assembly, Alain Lamassoure, Minister Delegate for European Affairs, replies to questions from French MPs on the implementation of the Schengen Convention.

On 23 March 1995, with a view to France’s application of the Schengen Convention, the French Foreign Ministry publishes an information booklet which sets out the main provisions relating to the future Schengen Area.

On 25 March 1995, the conservative daily newspaper La Libre Belgique welcomes the entry into force, on the following day, of the Schengen Agreement which seeks to bring about the progressive elimination of border controls at common frontiers and also to establish the free movement of persons among the countries involved: Germany, France, Spain, Portugal and the Benelux countries.

On 25 March 1995, at the French-Italian border crossing in Menton, supporters of the extreme-right French National Front demonstrate against the entry into force, the following day, of the Schengen Agreement which, they fear, will have repercussions on the French labour market.

On 26 March 1995, the date that the Schengen Agreement enters into force, controls are tightened on the borders of the participating countries, and long queues of cars form in various places, such as here in Frankfurt an der Oder, on the border between Germany and Poland.

On 27 March 1995, the British daily newspaper The Guardian comments on the entry into force of the Schengen Convention of 19 June 1990 in Belgium, France, the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.

On 6 April 1995, the European Parliament adopts a resolution on the impact of the Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement on asylum policy and emphasises that the free movement of persons is an integral part of the internal market and of the objectives of the European Union.

On 28 April 1995, as the Schengen Agreement is signed by Austria, the Vienna daily newspaper Die Presse welcomes the principle of the opening of the borders as laid down in the Agreement but is more pessimistic as regards its application.

Signed on 19 June 1990 by Germany, Belgium, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, the Schengen Agreement defines the rules governing the conditions for the free movement of persons within the European Community.

On 7 October 1995, in an address to the French National Assembly, Michel Barnier, French Minister Delegate for European Affairs, emphasises the implications of the application of the Schengen Agreements.

On 5 December 1996, Michel Barnier (left), French Minister with responsibility for European Affairs, and Kurt Schelter, Junior Security Minister of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), inspect the facilities and technical instruments at the Interdepartmental Information Technology Centre (Schengen Information System) in Strasbourg.

On 2 April 1998, the French daily newspaper Le Figaro outlines the situation at the Brenner Pass crossing between Italy and Austria following the entry into force of the Schengen Convention on 19 June 1990.

Le 16 septembre 1998 à Königswinter, le Comité exécutif des États signataires des accords de Schengen décide de la création d'une Commission permanente d'évaluation et d'application de Schengen.

In this interview, Alain Lamassoure, French Minister for European Affairs from 1993 to 1995, describes the negotiations that led to the entry into force of the Schengen Convention on 26 March 1995 in Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain. This agreement provided for the gradual abolition of controls at the countries’ common borders and the introduction of a regime for the free movement of people.