To maintain an area of freedom, security, and justice without controls at the internal borders, it is essential that all Schengen countries implement commonly agreed rules to the highest standards. These rules include measures to manage the external borders as well as to compensate for the absence of controls at internal borders, including through police and migration cooperation.
By conducting regular on-site evaluations, the Schengen evaluation and monitoring mechanism helps identify areas for improvement. It is the key safeguard for ensuring the effective application of the Schengen rules and the efficient functioning of the Schengen area.
Schengen evaluations
In 2023 a new generation of Schengen evaluation was launched with the implementation of the new Schengen evaluation and monitoring mechanism Regulation.
This new approach shifts away from fragmented, policy-specific evaluations to country-centred assessments, providing a comprehensive view of each Member State’s overall performance. This gives a clearer picture of how well each Member State is doing in implementing Schengen rules and facilitates stronger political and operational follow-up on evaluation results .
To support this new approach, the Commission, in close cooperation with Schengen countries, has developed key tools for the effective implementation of the mechanism, including the new Schengen Evaluation Guide, the Standard Schengen Evaluations Questionnaire as well as the dedicated platform to monitor the implementation of the recommendations.
Schengen Country reports
Following each evaluation, the Commission adopts Schengen country reports, which provides an overview of the key issues affecting the good governance and management of the Schengen area in the evaluated Schengen country. The report sets out a number of recommendations that the Schengen country has to implement to ensure the well-functioning of the Schengen area.
In line with the 2023 and 2024 evaluation programmes, the Commission has already adopted the new Schengen Country reports. Click on the map to access key outcomes:
The 2025 evaluation programme has been established and will cover the application of the Schengen rules by Switzerland, Slovenia, Austria, Romania and Bulgaria.
Thematic evaluations
Thematic Schengen evaluations provide a unique opportunity to assess the state of implementation of Schengen rules at a given time across Member States and across policy areas. These evaluations provide an overview of how the Schengen area is performing in relation to specific focus areas. They offer a valuable foundation for shaping and implementing policy decisions and support peer-to-peer learning between Member States.
Thematic Schengen evaluation on more effective return
The European Council has called for determined action at all levels to facilitate, increase and speed up returns from the European Union, using all relevant EU policies, instruments and tools. The effective return of individuals with no right to stay is necessary to sustain a well-functioning Schengen area of freedom, security, and justice without internal frontiers. In this context, a thematic evaluation was carried out in 2024 to identify operational solutions that enhance the effective and swift return of third-country nationals with no right to stay.
The thematic evaluation was conducted by experts from the Commission and 15 Member States, with observers from Frontex and the Fundamental Rights Agency. It had two objectives:
- To identify the key common obstacles limiting authorities’ ability to carry out the return of third-county nationals without a legal right to stay; and
- To build on common issues where common EU solutions and best practices would bring added value.
This will reinforce the capacities of Member States and Schengen Associated Countries in ensuring effectiveness of their return systems and thereby contribute to a coherent and credible Schengen framework.
Based on the evaluation report, the Council adopted recommendations to address the common challenges identified, while the evaluation report identified best practices that can help in the implementation of remedial measures.
Executive summary of the Schengen Thematic report
Thematic Schengen evaluation on drug trafficking
The growing volume and sophistication of drug trafficking into Europe poses a serious threat to the security of the Schengen area. In response, in 2023, all Schengen countries were evaluated in the thematic Schengen evaluation to identify best practices in their national capabilities to fight against drug trafficking, with a particular focus on trafficking into ports. On-site visits took place in the ports of Rotterdam, Antwerp, Marseille, and Hamburg.
One of the common challenges that affect all major ports is the need for coordination among all relevant actors involved in the operations of the ports. Coordination and cooperation among law enforcement, police, border guards, and customs services as well as private partners is fundamental to combat drug trafficking effectively at the national, European, and international levels. Several best practices were observed in this area, including on effective public-private partnerships and on measures to combat corruption along the drug supply chain.
Furthermore, the evaluation revealed that it is necessary to strengthen barriers to intra-Schengen drug flows through efficient cross-border operational cooperation. Some Member States have adopted bilateral or multilateral agreements with special provisions facilitating the cooperation for drug trafficking. Other best practices in this area relate to participation in EMPACT (the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats) and the related Europol Operational Task Forces.
The findings of the thematic evaluation also underline the need for a close and extensive international cooperation with third countries. Several Member States have specific operational and strategic cooperation agreements in place with countries of origin or transit and the EU is working to enhance operational collaboration with key Central and South American countries impacted by drug trafficking.
The thematic evaluation and resulting recommendations mark an important step in building a more united and effective response to drug trafficking, and the implementation of best practices will continue to be monitored through future Schengen evaluations.
The mechanism applies to Schengen States following the abolition of internal border controls and their accession to the Schengen area without internal frontiers. It also applies to EU Member States who have been authorised to participate in part in the Schengen system (this is currently the case only for the Republic of Ireland). Finally, it applies to Schengen States not yet fully part of the Schengen area without internal frontiers, in view of assessing the country’s readiness to abolish internal border controls (this is currently the case only for the Republic of Cyprus).
2023-2029 Multiannual Evaluation Programme
The provisional time schedule for verifying the application of the Schengen rules is established by the multiannual evaluation programme. It sets out which country will be evaluated in which year, as follows:
2023: Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia
2024: Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia
2025: Switzerland, Slovenia, Austria, Romania, Bulgaria
2026: Germany, Liechtenstein, The Netherlands, Belgium
2027: Luxembourg, France, Italy, Greece
2028: Malta, Spain, Portugal, Ireland
2029: Sweden, Iceland, Norway, Denmark
Multiannual Evaluation Programme 2023-2029
2023 Amendment to the Multiannual Evaluation Programme
2024 Amendment to the Multiannual Evaluation Programme
In line with the multiannual evaluation programme, the Commission adopts on an annual basis the annual evaluation programme, providing detailed schedules for the evaluations to be conducted in a given year. The annual evaluation programme can include: periodic evaluations, monitoring visits, as well as thematic evaluations.
Unannounced evaluations, which are those conducted without prior notice to ensure compliance, detect weaknesses, or respond to urgent concerns, are not included in the annual programme.
Given the peer-to-peer nature of the mechanism, evaluations are carried out by teams of experts from Member States, coordinated by the Commission, and supported by the relevant EU agencies and bodies (such as Frontex, Europol, eu-LISA and Fundamental Rights Agency).
To ensure the participation of a sufficient number of experienced experts, the Commission establishes annually a pool of experts. It is maintained in close cooperation with the Member States. Each Member State should appoint at least one expert for each of the relevant policy areas. The pool is, therefore, the primary source of experts for evaluation and monitoring activities. In October 2024, the Commission established the 2025 pool of experts with 524 Member State experts.
Training ensures high quality, and reliable evaluations. It also ensures consistency throughout the Schengen evaluation and monitoring activities.
In 2023, the Commission, in close cooperation with Schengen countries, established the first initial training Common Curriculum. Since then, more than 210 experts have been trained in initial training courses. All the successful trainees received a Schengen Evaluator certificate from the Schengen Coordinator. Moreover, in 2024, a training strategy was endorsed, which outlines the core elements of the Schengen evaluation training activities, based on short- and medium-term objectives with a view to implementing a coherent methodology for a common and integrated Schengen evaluation training framework.
The Schengen Evaluation and Monitoring Mechanism reflects a peer-to-peer approach ensuring shared responsibility towards the Schengen project. Evaluations and monitoring activities are carried out by experts from Member States, and the Commission, supported by observers from EU agencies.
It consists of two phases:
- Evaluations in which a team of experts visits the evaluated Member State. Based on the observation the team issues a report and recommendations to remedy the identified deficiencies.
- Monitoring, in which Member States report to the Commission and the Council on the progress made in implementing the recommended measures.
After the Schengen evaluation report is adopted and recommendations are issued, the process enters the monitoring phase. The evaluation findings are translated into remedial actions and structural reforms by the evaluated Member State, leading to improved application of Schengen rules. Therefore, the impact of the mechanism depends on the effective implementation of the individual recommendations.
The 2023-2029 multiannual evaluation programme covers a cycle of 7 years. It is accompanied by an increased, closer and more targeted monitoring of the Member States without reducing the level of scrutiny. The reinforced monitoring tools, notably the possibility to carry out verification visits, play a key role in this regard.
The Schengen Scoreboard is also a key tool supporting the monitoring of the implementation of recommendations. Delivered annually to the Schengen countries, it provides a holistic and integrated overview of Schengen evaluation results and highlights issues requiring urgent attention.
When serious deficiencies impacting the functioning of Schengen are identified, the evaluated Member State must take immediate action to address them. This includes mobilising all necessary operational and financial resources.
These remedial actions are subject to tighter time limits and closer political scrutiny and monitoring throughout the process, including through a revisit that needs to take place within a year. The Commission immediately informs the Council when an evaluation identifies a serious deficiency, including when it affects public policy and security within the Schengen area.
State of play of the serious deficiency identified in the previous evaluations.
In exceptional circumstances if the serious deficiencies concern shortcoming in the carrying out of external borders control, controls at the internal borders may be reintroduced temporarily to mitigate the risks in accordance with Articles 21 and 29 of the Schengen Borders Code.