Understanding the Schengen Borders Code (SBC): A Complete Overview

The Schengen Borders Code (SBC) is a framework for the European Union. Its purpose is to govern the rules and regulations for border control in the Schengen area.

This system was designed to standardize entry and exit procedures (like border control and Schengen visa requirements), allowing people to move around the area freely while also keeping it highly secure.

We wrote this guide to help travelers understand this framework, the Schengen Borders Code, and what it entails. While it's a bit behind the scenes, it affects travel within Europe – for both Europeans and foreigners traveling from abroad.

The Schengen Borders Code

The Schengen Borders Code (you may see it abbreviated to SBC) is a set of rules for how people enter and exit the Schengen area, both at external borders and internal ones. The Schengen Borders Code (you may see it abbreviated to SBC) is a set of rules that for how people enter and exit the Schengen area, both at external borders and internal ones.

The goal is to strike the right balance between the need for freedom of movement and the necessity of a high level of security. This "right balance" allows the Schengen area to permit free movement between member countries while also maintaining its integrity.

The SBC outlines the following for all countries in the Schengen area:

• Border check procedures.
• How border checks are conducted.
• Specific rules regarding the refusal of entry into the Schengen area.

Today, the Schengen area has 29 member countries and there is a lot of overlap with the EU. The majority of the members of the EU are also in the Schengen area (but not all of them. For example, Ireland is in the EU, but is not in the Schengen area).

The Schengen area is unique because each of the member countries meets a certain number of requirements that all members have to, like the implementation of shared technology systems and law enforcement cooperation. The process to enter the Schengen country is an intense one, to say the least. Each of these countries had to receive unanimous approval from other members to join; and each member is held to a high standard when it comes to both cooperation and security.

Within the zone, internal borders are almost entirely free of border checks. So, in order to maintain the integrity of the zone, external borders and entry into the Schengen area are strictly monitored and controlled.

The SBC plays a really big part in this, ensuring that external borders (those between Schengen and non-Schengen countries) are tightly controlled, protecting the safety and security of the Schengen zone.

Schengen Borders Code 2016/399

Regulation (EU) 2016/399 is the latest version of the Schengen Borders Code, and it was officially adopted in 2016.

This regulation repealed the earlier version (Regulation (EC) No 562/2006) and added updated measures to better address contemporary challenges. Some of these challenges include things like increased migration flows and security threats, such as terrorism.

The updated regulation not only strengthens external border management but it also maintains the principle of free movement in the area.

What Regulation (EU) 2016/399 includes

Checks at external borders

Every single person that enters the Schengen area through external borders goes through border control. They have to pass through security before being allowed to enter the zone. On top of that, anyone who comes into the Schengen area from an external border is subject to thorough checks.

Risk-based control

The updated SBC regulation incorporates a more refined, risk-based approach to border control. These changes allow authorities to focus on high-risk individuals or situations.

Internal border management

Although the Schengen area does allow people to move freely from member country to member country, border controls can be temporarily introduced at any time with due reason.

One example of this could be a pandemic or another mass threat to the safety and integrity of a country. The SBC has regulations put into place that allow for this to happen if and when needed, and it does happen from time to time.

These reinstalled border checks are temporary when they happen. Because of this, it's important to always have your passport on you when traveling throughout the Schengen area, just in case.

Refusal of entry

The updated SBC includes explicit guidelines about refusal of entry for individuals who don't meet the entry requirements for the Schengen area.

Key principles of the Schengen Borders Code

1. Internal and external borders

One of the Schengen Borders Code’s foundational principles is the distinction between internal and external borders. Internal borders are the borders between Schengen member states, where people can move freely without systematic checks.

On the other hand, external borders are the borders shared with non-Schengen countries. At external borders, comprehensive checks are required to enter (and exit) the area.

2. Homogenized entry requirements

To keep the Schengen area secure, each member country has to meet the same requirements and standards when it comes to border security. This is another role that the SBC takes on. The SBC outlines specific requirements that travelers have to meet to enter the Schengen area, whether they're entering on land, by air, or sea.

There are several requirements, and which ones apply to you depend on your nationality, the purpose of your trip, and how long you intend to stay.

3. Schengen Borders Code refusal of entry

Under the SBC, border authorities have the right to refuse entry to anyone who doesn't meet the entry requirements.

When a traveler is refused entry into the Schengen area, it is documented, and individuals do have the right to appeal the decision if they feel like it was unjustly made.

The Schengen Borders Code refusal of entry rules are in place to protect the security and safety of the Schengen area while ensuring that decisions are made fairly and transparently.

Travelers can be denied entry for any reason, but common rejections include:

• The lack of a valid visa or travel documents.
• The inability to demonstrate sufficient financial resources (this is a requirement when obtaining a visa).
• Being flagged in the Schengen Information System (SIS, a shared technological system that each member of the Schengen area utilizes and shares data between).
• Other reasons.

Border guards are required to provide written justification for refusing entry, which travelers can challenge through legal means if they believe it was done unjustly.

Entry refusal doesn’t mean a traveler can never enter the Schengen zone in the future. Depending on the reason for refusal, applicants can apply again in the future, should they better meet the requirements (such as proof of funds or accommodation).

4. Temporary reintroduction of internal border checks

The Schengen Area promotes the free movement of people, but there are situations in which internal border controls may be temporarily reinstated.

This can happen in response to serious threats to public policy or internal security, such as pandemics, war, or other safety threats.

5. The enhanced use of technology

The SBC leverages technology to help streamline border processes and enhance its security. For example, automated border control gates allow quicker and more efficient checks, while systems like the Entry/Exit System (EES) and the Schengen Information System (SIS) help authorities track travelers and prevent illegal entry.

When countries become a part of the Schengen area, they are required to implement both EES and SIS. This shared information, again, helps to assure the safety of the entire area.

Why it's important

The Schengen Borders Code is very important when it comes to both the security and the functionality of the Schengen area. Anyone who has entered or exited the Schengen area has directly interacted with processes regulated by the SBC, even if they didn't notice it.

By standardizing procedures across all member states, the SBC assures a consistent approach to how borders are operated. This coordination helps to reduce the risk of criminal activity such as human trafficking or terrorism.

FAQs about SBC