The event was also attended by Luxembourg Minister of the Interior Léon Gloden, Executive Vice-President for Technological Sovereignty, Security and Democracy of the European Commission Henna Virkkunen and EU Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner.

Tomasz Siemoniak, the Minister of the Interior and Administration, highlighted the importance of the Schengen area. 

As the Polish presidency in the Council of the European Union and as Poles, we believe that the freedom to travel, the lack of border checks and everything that the Schengen area embodies, is of great value to the millions of people who used to live beyond the Iron Curtain, who did not have passports and were thus unable to freely cross borders. Schengen is their dream come true

- he said.

We are glad that in recent months new countries - our friends from Bulgaria and Romania - have joined the Schengen area

- he added.

The Minister of the Interior and Administration pointed out that as of today, Russia is at war with Ukraine at the border of the European Union, and that the Schengen states are the target of hybrid attacks perpetrated 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 irregular 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. The commitments I am referring to are contained in the Schengen Declaration - the result of work that started under the Belgian Presidency and finally adopted in connection with the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Schengen Agreement

- said the Minister of the Interior and Administration.

Unity and growth for the sake of safety

Luxembourg's Minister of the Interior Léon Gloden spoke of unity among Schengen area member states.

We face new challenges and protect the security and freedoms of European citizens together. Schengen is at the heart of European integration. It enables people in border regions to live, study and work together and ensures the smooth flow og goods across borders. It also gives our police forces the tools they need to work together seamlessly. But Schengen is not a finished product - it is a living project that depends on our vigilance, cooperation and strong belief in a Europe without borders. Internal border checks disrupt the shared cross-border life that has developed over decades. Luxembourg, the birthplace of Schengen, bears a special responsibility for keeping its spirit alive. Our stance is clear: we fully support the Schengen Agreement and firmly reject internal border checks within the EU. We need to tear down the borders in people's minds, not to rebuild them. Schengen needs to be alive

- he concluded.

EU Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner spoke about the development of the Schengen area.

As someone who grew up on the external border of the Schengen area, I have personally experienced the freedom that it offers to 450 million Europeans every day. Maintaining and developing Schengen is only possible by building a finely tuned support system with strong police cooperation and effective border protection. We are committed to strengthening the protection of our external border, addressing migration management issues and providing law enforcement agencies with the tools they need to counter threats. That is how we are going to be able to continue celebrating Schengen for another 40 years and further down the line

- he said.

40th anniversary of the Schengen Agreement

The Schengen area, established in 1995, remains a key element of European integration, allowing EU citizens to move freely between Member States without passport checks. It enables residents to live, study, work and enjoy their pensions in any EU member state, which also benefits tourists and entrepreneurs.

All EU member states are members of the Schengen area, with the exception of Ireland, which has an opt-out clause, and Cyprus, which plans to join in the future. Four non-EU countries are also part of the area: Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. The zone is made up of 29 countries.

Millions of people cross the EU's internal borders every day. EU citizens can stay in another Member State for three months for tourism purposes when carrying a valid identity card. They can also live and work in other EU member states on an equal footing with their nationals.