40 years of Schengen Agreement: A dinner with clear messages for Europe

« Controls on the internal borders disrupt the joint cross-border life that has developed for decades, » emphasized Interior Minister Léon Gloden (CSV) on Thursday evening at the start of the anniversary celebrations of the Schengen Agreement. Once again, the evening before, he reminded his German counterpart Alexander Dobrindt in a telephone conversation of his promise to improve the situation on the A13/A8 motorway and further shift the border controls to the interior.

While the « Big Party » takes place on Saturday for the 40th anniversary of the Schengen Agreement, as Léon Gloden always emphasizes, an informal meeting with Henna Virkkuns, Vice President of the European Commission for Security and Democracy, Magnus Brunner, EU Commissioner for the Interior and Migration, and the Polish Interior Minister Tomas Siemoniak was on Thursday evening.

As expected, border controls came to the fore again at the meeting. In the subsequent press conference, Gloden underlined Luxembourg’s responsibility to keep the Schengen Agreement alive. After the Grand Duchy in February asked the Commission to check the need for border controls, he expects an early answer.

The Polish Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak emphasized that the border controls in the face of the war in Ukraine would « lead to a weakening of our cohesion » and have « irreversible consequences ». « We are determined to work together and promote mutual trust, » said Siemoniak on board the « Marie-Astrid ».

The Finnin Henna Virkkuns, Vice President of the European Commission for Technical Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, emphasized the need and importance of the Schengen Agreement. « In a world of uncertainty, it remains our strategic capital and symbol of unity. » The European Commissioner Markus Brunner emphasized the importance of protecting the Schengen external borders and finding solutions for migration.