Op-Ed: “The unexpected resurgence of the Schengen area” by Daniel Thym

Few people would have thought three months ago that most Member States would lift border controls, abandon travel restrictions and discontinue quarantine requirements by the end of June 2020. The Schengen area seemed to fall victim to the hectic measures decided upon in national capitals during the first weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic. In an unprecedented move, many Member States did not only introduce temporary border controls; they also instituted far-reaching travel restrictions, which effectively brought the free movement of persons within the European Union to a near standstill. Borders were not only being controlled, they were closed. Nothing comparable had happened during 60 years of EU integration.

Today, the situation loo