Schengen Agreement and Border-free Travel

Mitterrand supported France's participation in the Schengen Agreement to reduce controls at participating states' internal borders.

Dumas backs France's participation in the founding five-state agreement for gradually reducing checks at common borders. French policy couples freer movement with stronger police coordination.

Leads France when Belgium, France, West Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands sign the Schengen Agreement on gradual abolition of internal border checks.

Signs the Schengen Agreement for West Germany, committing the participating governments to gradually abolish internal border controls.

In France, Joxe starts adapting border and policing arrangements to the commitments created at Schengen. Paris also emphasises effective controls at the Schengen area's external frontier.

Lalumiere helps review legal consequences of the agreement's programme for progressively freer cross-border movement. France supports mobility alongside common visa and security arrangements.

Dumas endorses the 1990 Convention defining common rules on borders, visas and cooperation between authorities. The French approach stresses both free movement and compensating security measures.

In France, Joxe backs stronger external-frontier controls and security cooperation to offset removal of internal checks. French policy couples freer movement with stronger police coordination.

During the Schengen process, Rocard leads France when the implementing Convention establishes detailed rules for a border-free Schengen area. French officials link border removal with operational law-enforcement cooperation.

Heads the German government when the five original Schengen states sign the convention implementing border-free travel arrangements.

During the Schengen process, Dumas welcomes Italy into the Schengen arrangements as the original group begins to expand. France supports mobility alongside common visa and security arrangements.

Rocard helps lead France as Italy signs its agreement to accede to the Schengen Convention. Paris also emphasises effective controls at the Schengen area's external frontier.

Cresson represents France as Spain and Portugal sign Schengen accession agreements. French officials link border removal with operational law-enforcement cooperation.

In France, Dumas endorses Spanish and Portuguese accession to the Convention at the Bonn signing. The French approach stresses both free movement and compensating security measures.

Beregovoy helps represent France when Greece signs its Schengen accession instruments. French policy couples freer movement with stronger police coordination.

During the Schengen process, Dumas approves the Greek accession instruments signed in Madrid. Paris also emphasises effective controls at the Schengen area's external frontier.

Heads the Greek government when Greece signs agreements to accede to the Schengen framework.

Represents Greece as it signs accession instruments connected with the Schengen agreements.

Balladur oversees preparations for the planned operational removal of internal Schengen border controls. France supports mobility alongside common visa and security arrangements.

In France, Pasqua coordinates legal, policing and information-system preparations before full Schengen implementation. French officials link border removal with operational law-enforcement cooperation.

France joined six other states in implementing passport-free travel under the Schengen arrangements.

Balladur helps lead France when routine internal-border checks disappear among the first operational Schengen states. The French approach stresses both free movement and compensating security measures.

During the Schengen process, Pasqua oversees domestic security arrangements as the Schengen border-free regime becomes operational. French policy couples freer movement with stronger police coordination.

Juppe endorses Austria's formal move into the Schengen agreements. Paris also emphasises effective controls at the Schengen area's external frontier.

de Charette helps back the Nordic accessions that extend Schengen cooperation across northern Europe. French officials link border removal with operational law-enforcement cooperation.

In France, Juppe leads France as Denmark, Finland and Sweden sign agreements joining Schengen. France supports mobility alongside common visa and security arrangements.

In France, Chevenement works to preserve practical border, police and justice cooperation during the transition into EU law. Paris also emphasises effective controls at the Schengen area's external frontier.

During the Schengen process, Jospin endorses Amsterdam's Schengen Protocol, which brings the acquis inside the European Union treaty system. The French approach stresses both free movement and compensating security measures.

Vedrine accepts moving Schengen rules from intergovernmental cooperation into the Union's legal order. French policy couples freer movement with stronger police coordination.

Jospin helps lead France when the Amsterdam Treaty takes effect and the Schengen acquis becomes part of EU law. France supports mobility alongside common visa and security arrangements.

During the Schengen process, Vedrine handles French diplomacy as the Schengen system is absorbed into the Union's legal structure. French officials link border removal with operational law-enforcement cooperation.

Chevenement supports the post-Amsterdam legal settlement assigning treaty bases to individual Schengen measures. The French approach stresses both free movement and compensating security measures.