The borderless zone created by the Schengen Agreement, the Schengen Area, currently consists of 25 European countries, covering a population of over 400 million people.

Since the implementation of the Schengen rules, border posts have been closed (and often entirely removed) between the participating countries.

The Schengen Borders Code requires participating states to remove all obstacles to free traffic flow at internal borders. Thus, rail, road and air passengers no longer have their identity checked by border guards when crossing borders (however, security controls by carriers are still permissible). Visitors to Schengen countries can receive a Schengen Visa which entitles them to travel freely throughout the Schengen Area.

The 25 full members are:

• Austria,
• Belgium,
• Czech Republic,
• Denmark,
• Finland,
• Estonia,
• France,
• Germany,
• Greece,
• Hungary,
• Iceland,
• Italy,
• Latvia, 
• Lithuania,
• Luxembourg,
• Malta,
• the Netherlands,
• Norway,
• Poland,
• Portugal,
• Slovakia,
• Slovenia,
• Spain,
• Sweden,
• and Switzerland.

The 2 cooperating countries are:  Ireland and the United Kingdom.

Future members are: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Liechtenstein and Romania.