Reimposing passport checks in the Schengen area creates new political lines in our minds – and that poses its own dangerWith so many economic and political challenges looming, the EU nevertheless began 2025 with a little bit of its old magic and a reminder that it’s here to do far more than simply react. At the stroke of midnight on 1 January, a dog crossed the border between Romania and Hungary, and like all the people to follow it, nope, it didn’t have to show ID. As of 2025, Romania and Bulgaria are full members of the Schengen area – that counterintuitive dismantling of borders that refuses to be snuffed out in an age of rising nationalism.The quote “we have made Europe, now we must make Europeans” is often apocryphally attributed to Jean Monnet, one of the founding fathers of the European Union. Even if he never actually said it, the “making” of Europeans is tangible in two ways. Both have to do with movement. Erasmus – the scheme that lent its name to a whole generation of stu...
The main conceptual idea of the article is that the open-border Schengen agreement represents a powerful symbol of European unity and progress, defying the rise of nationalism and creating a sense of shared European identity.
The article celebrates Romania and Bulgaria's recent inclusion in Schengen, highlighting the symbolic importance of the agreement in "making Europeans" through free movement and shared experiences. The author argues that protecting and preserving open borders is crucial in the face of growing nationalist sentiments.
The article implicitly contrasts the spirit of Schengen with the increasing tendency towards building walls and barriers, suggesting that open borders are essential for a united and progressive Europe.
The main conceptual idea of the article is that the open-border Schengen agreement represents a powerful symbol of European unity and progress, defying the rise of nationalism and creating a sense of shared European identity. The article celebrates Romania and Bulgaria's recent inclusion in Schengen, highlighting the symbolic importance of the agreement in "making Europeans" through free movement and shared experiences. The author argues that protecting and preserving open borders is crucial in the face of growing nationalist sentiments. The article implicitly contrasts the spirit of Schengen with the increasing tendency towards building walls and barriers, suggesting that open borders are essential for a united and progressive Europe.
