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40th Anniversary of the Schengen Area
In the margins of the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Council taking place in Luxembourg on 12 June (Justice) and 13 June (Home Affairs), Léon Gloden, Minister for Home Affairs, and Tomasz Siemoniak, Poland's Minister of the Interior and Administration, invited the Ministers of the Interior from the Schengen Member States to an official dinner aboard the ship M.S. Princesse Marie-Astrid, in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Schengen Agreement.
Gallery 1
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(l. to r.) Tomasz Siemoniak, Minister of the Interior and Administration of the Republic of Poland; Léon Gloden, Minister for Home Affairs
© SIP / Claude Piscitelli
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(l. to r.) Tomasz Siemoniak, Minister of the Interior and Administration of the Republic of Poland; Léon Gloden, Minister for Home Affairs
© SIP / Claude Piscitelli
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(l. to r.) Léon Gloden, Minister for Home Affairs; Nicolas De Maistre, Head of the Justice and Home Affairs Section at the Permanent Representation of the French Republic to the European Union; Tomasz Siemoniak, Minister of the Interior and Administration of the Republic of Poland
© SIP / Claude Piscitelli
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(l. to r.) Léon Gloden, Minister for Home Affairs; Mari Rantanen, Minister of the Interior of the Republic of Finland; Tomasz Siemoniak, Minister of the Interior and Administration of the Republic of Poland
© SIP / Claude Piscitelli
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(l. to r.) Maciej Duszczyk, Deputy Minister at the Ministry of the Interior and Administration of the Republic of Poland; Léon Gloden, Minister for Home Affairs; Tomasz Siemoniak, Minister of the Interior and Administration of the Republic of Poland
© SIP / Claude Piscitelli
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(l. to r.) Léon Gloden, Minister for Home Affairs; Thomas Oberreiter, Ambassador of the Republic of Austria to the European Union; Tomasz Siemoniak, Minister of the Interior and Administration of the Republic of Poland
© SIP / Claude Piscitelli
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(l. to r.) Léon Gloden, Minister for Home Affairs; Jean-Claude Meyer, Deputy Secretary-General of the Benelux Union; Tomasz Siemoniak, Minister of the Interior and Administration of the Republic of Poland
© SIP / Claude Piscitelli
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(l. to r.) Léon Gloden, Minister for Home Affairs; Johan Forssell, Minister for Migration and Asylum Policy of the Kingdom of Sweden; Gunnar Strömmer, Minister for Justice of the Kingdom of Sweden; Tomasz Siemoniak, Minister of the Interior and Administration of the Republic of Poland
© SIP / Claude Piscitelli
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(l. to r.) Léon Gloden, Minister for Home Affairs; Bernard Quintin, Minister for Security and the Interior, in charge of Beliris, of the Kingdom of Belgium; Anneleen Van Bossuyt, Minister for Asylum and Migration, Social Integration and Metropolitan Policy of the Kingdom of Belgium; Tomasz Siemoniak, Minister of the Interior and Administration of the Republic of Poland
© SIP / Claude Piscitelli
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(l. to r.) Léon Gloden, Minister for Home Affairs; Igor Taro, Minister of the Interior of the Republic of Estonia; Tomasz Siemoniak, Minister of the Interior and Administration of the Republic of Poland
© SIP / Claude Piscitelli
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(l. to r.) Léon Gloden, Minister for Home Affairs; Michel Gloden, Mayor of the Municipality of Schengen; Tomasz Siemoniak, Minister of the Interior and Administration of the Republic of Poland; Emilie Villain-Feltz, Mayor of the Municipality of Apach
© SIP / Claude Piscitelli
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(l. to r.) Léon Gloden, Minister for Home Affairs; Daniela Ludwig, Parliamentary State Secretary, Federal Ministry of the Interior of the Federal Republic of Germany; Tomasz Siemoniak, Minister of the Interior and Administration of the Republic of Poland; Michael Niemeier, Head of the Division for International and European Affairs, Federal Ministry of the Interior of the Federal Republic of Germany
© SIP / Claude Piscitelli
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(l. to r.) Léon Gloden, Minister for Home Affairs; Jim O'Callaghan, Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration of Ireland; Tomasz Siemoniak, Minister of the Interior and Administration of the Republic of Poland
© SIP / Claude Piscitelli
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(l. to r.) Léon Gloden, Minister for Home Affairs; Vít Rakušan, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior of the Czech Republic; Tomasz Siemoniak, Minister of the Interior and Administration of the Republic of Poland
© SIP / Claude Piscitelli
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(l. to r.) Léon Gloden, Minister for Home Affairs; Magnus Brunner, European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration; Tomasz Siemoniak, Minister of the Interior and Administration of the Republic of Poland
© SIP / Claude Piscitelli
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(l. to r.) Léon Gloden, Minister for Home Affairs; Lulia Matei, Permanent Representative of Romania to the European Union; Tomasz Siemoniak, Minister of the Interior and Administration of the Republic of Poland
© SIP / Claude Piscitelli
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(l. to r.) Léon Gloden, Minister for Home Affairs; Davor Božinović, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia; Tomasz Siemoniak, Minister of the Interior and Administration of the Republic of Poland
© SIP / Claude Piscitelli
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(l. to r.) Léon Gloden, Minister for Home Affairs; Boštjan Poklukar, Minister of the Interior of the Republic of Slovenia; Tomasz Siemoniak, Minister of the Interior and Administration of the Republic of Poland
© SIP / Claude Piscitelli
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(l. to r.) Léon Gloden, Minister for Home Affairs; Javier Zarzalejos, Member of the European Parliament, member of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs; Tomasz Siemoniak, Minister of the Interior and Administration of the Republic of Poland
© SIP / Claude Piscitelli
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Group photo
© SIP / Claude Piscitelli
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(l. to r.) Pascal Peters, Director General of the Grand Ducal Police; Gregor Pelzl, President of the Federal Police Directorate in Koblenz
© SIP / Claude Piscitelli
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(l. to r.) Magnus Brunner, European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration; Tomasz Siemoniak, Minister of the Interior and Administration of the Republic of Poland; Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Technological Sovereignty, Security and Democracy; Léon Gloden, Minister for Home Affairs
© SIP / Claude Piscitelli
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(l. to r.) Léon Gloden, Minister for Home Affairs; Tomasz Siemoniak, Minister of the Interior and Administration of the Republic of Poland; Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Technological Sovereignty, Security and Democracy; Magnus Brunner, European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration
© SIP / Claude Piscitelli
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Illustration
© SIP / Claude Piscitelli
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(speaker) Léon Gloden, Minister for Home Affairs
© SIP / Claude Piscitelli
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Illustration
© SIP / Claude Piscitelli
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(speaker) Tomasz Siemoniak, Minister of the Interior and Administration of the Republic of Poland
© SIP / Claude Piscitelli
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(speaker) Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Technological Sovereignty, Security and Democracy
© SIP / Claude Piscitelli
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(speaker) Magnus Brunner, European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration
© SIP / Claude Piscitelli
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(l. to r.) Pascal Schafhauser, Ambassador of the Principality of Liechtenstein to the Kingdom of Belgium; Michel Gloden, Mayor of the Municipality of Schengen
© SIP / Claude Piscitelli
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(l. to r.) Magnus Brunner, European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration; Léon Gloden, Minister for Home Affairs; Michel Gloden, Mayor of the Municipality of Schengen; Tomasz Siemoniak, Minister of the Interior and Administration of the Republic of Poland; Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Technological Sovereignty, Security and Democracy
© SIP / Claude Piscitelli
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(l. to r.) Michel Gloden, Mayor of the Municipality of Schengen; Emilie Villain-Feltz, Mayor of the Municipality of Apach; Léon Gloden, Minister for Home Affairs; Ralf Uhlenbruch, Mayor of the Municipality of Perl; Tom Weber, Alderman of the Municipality of Schengen
© SIP / Claude Piscitelli
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(l. to r.) Jean-Claude Meyer, Deputy Secretary-General of the Benelux Union; Frans Weekers, Secretary-General of the Benelux Union from the Kingdom of the Netherlands; Bernard Quintin, Minister for Security and the Interior, in charge of Beliris, of the Kingdom of Belgium; Anneleen Van Bossuyt, Minister for Asylum and Migration, Social Integration and Metropolitan Policy of the Kingdom of Belgium; Léon Gloden, Minister for Home Affairs; Teun Struyken, State Secretary for Legal Protection of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; Michel-Étienne Tilemans, Deputy Secretary-General of the Benelux Union from the Kingdom of Belgium
© SIP / Claude Piscitelli
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Group photo
© SIP / Claude Piscitelli
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Illustration
© SIP / Claude Piscitelli
During a press briefing, the two ministers, alongside Executive Vice-President for Technological Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, Henna Virkkunen, and European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner, underlined their collective commitment to strengthening cooperation within the Schengen area and advancing shared priorities.
In this context, Léon Gloden, Minister for Home Affairs stated: "This informal yet strategic dinner reinforced the spirit of collaboration and unity among Schengen Member States, as we work together to address emerging challenges and protect the security and freedoms of European citizens. Schengen is at the core of European integration. It allows people in border regions to live, study, and work together, and ensures the smooth flow of logistics across borders. It also gives our police forces the tools they need to cooperate seamlessly. But Schengen is not a finished product, it is a living project that depends on our vigilance, collaboration, and a firm belief in a Europe without barriers. Internal border controls disrupt the common cross-border life developed over decades. Luxembourg, the birthplace of Schengen, carries a special responsibility to keep its spirit alive. Our position is clear: we fully support the Schengen Agreement and firmly reject internal border controls within the EU. It is essential to dismantle borders in people's minds, not rebuild them. Schengen must be alive.”
Tomasz Siemoniak, Minister of the Interior and Administration underlined: "As of today, Russia is at war with Ukraine right next to border of the European Union, while the Schengen states are targeted by hybrid attacks orchestrated by Russia and Belarus. Some of them are dealing with the rise of organised crime, with criminals increasingly taking advantage of modern technology. What is more, the high level of illegal migration continues to create real risks and contributes to growing social tensions. In these circumstances, re-establishing border checks on our internal borders may contribute to a higher sense of security, but this would come at the cost of weakening our cohesion, as well as irreversible consequences for communities living close to the border.
That is why we have come together today, on the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Schengen Agreement, to highlight our common commitments to Europe's security, building resilience and readiness for any challenge. Guided by our shared values, we pledge to continue investing in the common area without internal borders, ensuring strong management of our external borders, a more effective fight against illegal migration and a high level of internal security. We are determined to work together and foster mutual trust, so that present and future generations of Europeans can continue to enjoy the benefits of the Schengen area.”
Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Technological Sovereignty, Security and Democracy emphazised: "Schengen began as a bold vision of unity and freedom — a Europe without borders. From five founding nations to 30 today, it is now a cornerstone of our European identity. It empowers us to live, work, and connect across borders, bound by trust and shared values. Schengen is more than a policy — it is the essence of the European project. In a world of uncertainty, it remains our strategic asset and symbol of unity. Now is the time to renew our commitment and unlock its full potential.”
Magnus Brunner, European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration concluded by declaring: "As someone who grew up on an external Schengen border myself, I have personally experienced the freedom that the Schengen Area provides to 450 million Europeans every day. Keeping Schengen going and growing is made possible only by building a finely tuned support system with strong police cooperation and effective border protection. We are committed to strengthening our external border protection, fixing our migration management problems and ensuring that law enforcement has the tools they need to counteract threats. That way, we will be able to continue celebrating Schengen for another 40 years and more.”
Communiqué par le ministère des Affaires intérieures