On 20 June 1990, commenting on the signing, the previous day, by the representatives of Belgium, France, the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), Luxembourg and the Netherlands, of the Schengen Convention which lays down the conditions for the application of and the guarantees for the implementation of the free movement of persons, the French daily newspaper Le Monde considers the implications and constraints thereof for the signatory countries.

On 20 June 1990, the daily newspaper Luxemburger Wort welcomes the measures to abolish controls on persons at internal borders included in the Additional Protocol to the Schengen Agreement of 14 June 1985 which was signed on 19 June 1990, in Schengen, by the representatives of Belgium, France, the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

On 20 June 1990, the day following the signing of the Convention applying the Schengen Agreement by Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, the Belgian daily newspaper Le Soir describes the practical difficulties that the free movement of persons may come up against.

‘Good news: we don’t need you any more!’ In June 1991, the French cartoonist, Plantu, illustrates the consequences of the signing of the Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement which lays down the terms for the application of the free movement of persons between Belgium, France, the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), Luxembourg and the Netherlands and seeks the gradual abolition of checks at the common borders of the signatory states.

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 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 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.