Based on the German-German, German-Austrian and Lithuanian experiences in dismantling border controls, the essay outlines the milestones of this transfer of competences in the Schengen process, which is unprecedented in the history of European integration, as well as its most important implications for the transformation of regulatory areas and innovations in the accession countries. For the grand narrative associated with the European fundamental right to freedom of movement – rooted in 1989/90 and centered on the “removal of border controls” and “free travel” – was and remains in need of genuinely effective compensatory measures to secure it. The internal and external challenges such as the refugee crisis in 2015 are also addressed, concluding with an outlook on the future of the Schengen Agreement.
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