Kosovo in the Schengen Zone

Kosovo in the Schengen Zone

• Recently, Kosovo achieved a significant milestone after facing delays in Schengen approval. It has secured visa-free access to the Schengen zone, the world’s largest area of free movement. With this, Kosovo becomes the last non-European Union (EU) country in the Western Balkans to enjoy this privilege.

What is the Schengen Zone?

About:

• The Schengen Agreement is a treaty signed in 1985 by five member states (Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands) of the European Economic Community. The agreement aims to create a border-free area in Europe that allows the free movement of people, goods, services, and capital called the Schengen Area, where internal border checks are largely abolished.
• All EU member states without opt-outs must join Schengen upon meeting technical requirements. Non-EU countries like Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Iceland are part of Schengen through special association agreements.
• Over time, the Schengen area has grown to encompass 27 countries, spanning over 4 million square kilometres and hosting nearly 420 million inhabitants.

Benefits of Schengen:

• Schengen enables seamless travel for over 400 million individuals across member states without border checks.
• It also facilitates approximately 1.25 billion journeys annually, fostering tourism, cultural exchange, and economic prosperity.
• Schengen promotes cooperation among police, customs, and border control authorities to combat terrorism and organized crime.
• For nationals of Schengen countries, visa-free travel and the absence of internal border checks enhance convenience and facilitate economic integration.
• Hence, Schengen’s border-free regime symbolises European values of unity and solidarity.

Key Facts About Kosovo

• Kosovo, which has a majority Albanian population and a minority of Serbs, is a landlocked region bordered by Albania, Macedonia, Serbia, and Montenegro.
• Its capital and largest city is Pristina.
• According to the World Bank, Kosovo is a parliamentary republic and upper-middle-income country. It declared independence from Serbia on 17th February 2008 and is recognised as an independent country by more than 100 United Nations members.
• However, India, Brazil, China, Russia, and Mexico have not recognised Kosovo as an independent country.
• Also, Serbia does not recognize Kosovo as an independent state and continues to claim it as the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija.

Practice Questions for Prelims

Choose the correct statements:
a) The Schengen Agreement is a treaty signed in 1985.
b) Non-EU countries are not allowed to join the Schengen agreement.
c) It promotes cooperation among police, customs, and border control authorities to combat terrorism and organized crime.

A) Only a and b
B) Only b and c
C) Only a and c
D) All of the above

Ans. C

Mains Practice Question

Discuss the implications of the Schengen Agreement on India-EU relations, particularly in terms of mobility, security, and diplomatic cooperation.

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