The Benelux Union unveiled, on Monday evening, a commemorative golden plaque marking the 40th anniversary of the Schengen Agreement.
The Agreement, signed in 1985 by the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg, initially eliminated border checks between the three countries and paved the way for deeper collaboration.
In the 1990s, it became the foundation for the European Schengen Agreement, extending the free movement of people to other European nations. By 2025, nearly all EU Member States, along with Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, were part of the Schengen Area.
“The free movement of people is not a luxury but rather a cornerstone of European prosperity and security,” Benelux Union Secretary-General Frank Weekers said at the plaque’s unveiling.
Weekers stressed that Schengen remains relevant today, especially as seamless border crossing is no longer a certainty due to challenges such as illegal migration and international crime. He pointed to the Benelux Police Treaty as an example of alternative measures being explored.
Weekers also expressed satisfaction with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever’s calls for strengthening the Benelux partnership. De Wever characterised Benelux as a visionary and experimental platform for broader European collaboration, citing its role as a precursor to the European agreements.
The secretary-general added that Benelux has a vital duty to protect the freedoms and prosperity achieved over the last eighty years, not merely to cherish them but to actively defend them.
Luxembourg’s Schengen negotiator, former MEP Robert Goebbels, stated that while the Schengen framework has delivered significant benefits, it also faces mounting challenges. Pointing to issues such as border controls introduced by Germany last year, he emphasised the need to safeguard the essence of Schengen and maintain freedoms for European citizens.
Goebbels also called for greater cooperation among Benelux countries, including in defence, stressing its importance for shared goals.
Several dignitaries from Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg attended the event, including Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin.
