Spain and Portugal join Schengen Group (1)
01 January 1991
Spain and Portugal join Schengen Group
artdoc December=1991
On 24 June Spain and Portugal formally joined the Schengen Group
by signing the 1985 Schengen Accord and the 1990 Supplementary
Agreements. The other member countries are: Germany, France,
Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg. The Agreement covers the
abolition of border controls, co-operation on visas, immigration
and policing policies. One of the primary objectives of Schengen
is the abolition of border controls which the four other EC
countries - UK, Denmark, Greece and Ireland - say they want to
maintain. However, Greece has now asked for observer status.
Although the UK government which is firmly opposed to getting rid
of border controls it is holding meetings with the Schengen Group
on the exchange of information.
Migration News Sheet, July 1991.