External border of the European Union

The border of the European Union consists of the land borders that member states of the EU share with non-EU states adjacent to the union.

Map of the European Union (as of March 2020)
Map of the EU, including all special territories. The Outermost Regions in blue are considered part of the EU's external borders.

Border status and cooperation

In 2004 the European Union developed the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) for the promotion of cooperation between the EU and its neighbours to the east and south of the European territory of the EU (i.e., excluding its outermost regions outside of Europe),[1] which, in part, includes the Cross-Border Cooperation programme aimed at the promotion of economic development in border areas and ensuring border security.[2]

External border control

The Border and Coast Guard Agency, more commonly known as Frontex, was established in 2004. Its main task is external border control of the Schengen Area. Most of its activities are coordinated with the coast and border guards of member states.

List of bilateral land borders

Current external borders
Border Member state Non-member state Notes
Austria–Liechtenstein borderAustriaLiechtensteinSchengen border[note 1]
Austria–Switzerland borderAustriaSwitzerlandSchengen border[note 1]
Bulgaria–North Macedonia borderBulgariaNorth Macedonia
Bulgaria–Serbia borderBulgariaSerbia
Bulgaria–Turkey borderBulgariaTurkey
Croatia–Bosnia and Herzegovina borderCroatiaBosnia and Herzegovina
Croatia–Montenegro borderCroatiaMontenegro
Croatia–Serbia borderCroatiaSerbia
Cyprus–Akrotiri and DhekeliaCyprusAkrotiri and Dhekelia (United Kingdom)Akrotiri and Dhekelia are British overseas territories, and have never been a part of the EU
Cyprus-Northern Cyprus borderCyprusNorthern CyprusThe Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is a self-proclaimed country covering the northeastern part of the island of Cyprus. Currently only Turkey recognises the independence of Northern Cyprus.
Estonia–Russia borderEstoniaRussia
Finland–Norway borderFinlandNorwaySchengen border[note 1]
Finland–Russia borderFinlandRussia
France–Andorra borderFranceAndorra
France–Brazil borderFranceBrazilLocated in French Guiana.
France–Monaco borderFranceMonacomicrostate border[note 2]
France–Suriname borderFranceSurinameLocated in French Guiana.
France–Switzerland borderFranceSwitzerlandSchengen border[note 1]
France-United Kingdom border France United Kingdom Located in the Channel Tunnel[note 3]
Germany–Switzerland borderGermanySwitzerlandSchengen border[note 1]
Greece–Albania borderGreeceAlbania
Greece–North Macedonia borderGreeceNorth Macedonia
Greece–Turkey borderGreeceTurkey
Hungary–Serbia borderHungarySerbia
Hungary–Ukraine borderHungaryUkraine
Italy–San Marino borderItalySan Marinomicrostate border[note 2]
Italy–Switzerland borderItalySwitzerlandSchengen border[note 1]
Italy–Vatican City borderItalyVatican Citymicrostate border[note 2]
Latvia–Belarus borderLatviaBelarus
Latvia–Russia borderLatviaRussia
Lithuania–Belarus borderLithuaniaBelarus
Lithuania–Russia borderLithuaniaRussia
Poland–Belarus borderPolandBelarus
Poland–Russia borderPolandRussia
Poland–Ukraine borderPolandUkraine
Republic of Ireland–United Kingdom borderIrelandUnited Kingdom
Romania–Moldova borderRomaniaMoldova
Romania–Serbia borderRomaniaSerbia
Romania–Ukraine borderRomaniaUkraine
Slovakia–Ukraine borderSlovakiaUkraine
Spain–Andorra borderSpainAndorra
Spain–Gibraltar borderSpainGibraltar (United Kingdom)Gibraltar is a British overseas territory
Spain–Morocco borderSpainMorocco
Sweden–Norway borderSwedenNorwaySchengen border[note 1]
  1. Internal Schengen border, no border control, although there may be customs control due to the external EU border status
  2. Open border to microstates, minimal border control
  3. The 1992 Treaty of Canterbury draw a land border between France and the United Kingdom in the Chunnel.

Special cases
border state A state B notes
Cyprus–Northern Cyprus borderCyprusNorthern CyprusNorthern Cyprus is a de facto state recognised only by Turkey. Its territory is considered by the international community to be part of the Republic of Cyprus, a EU member.
France–Netherlands borderFranceNetherlandsThe border between Saint-Martin and Sint Maarten. Both countries are in the EU, but this is not a Schengen border, as the territories are not in Schengen. See Franco-Dutch treaty on Saint Martin border controls.

Former external borders
Border From Until
Austria–Czech Republic border 1995 2004
Austria–(West) Germany border 1958 1995
Austria–Hungary border 1995 2004
Austria–Italy border 1958 1995
Austria–Slovakia border 1995 2004
Austria–Slovenia border 1995 2004
Denmark–West Germany border 1958 1973
France–Spain border 1958 1986
West German–East German border 1958 1990
Germany–Czech Republic border
(previously (West) Germany–Czechoslovakia border)		 1958,
1990		 2004
Germany–Poland border 1990 2004
Italy–Slovenia border border
(previously Italy–Yugoslavia border)		 1958 2004
Hungary–Romania border 2004 2007
Greece–Bulgaria border 1981 2007
Hungary–Croatia border 2004 2013
Slovenia–Croatia border 2004 2013

See also

References
  1. What is the European Neighbourhood Policy?
  2. "The new European Neighbourhood Instrument: providing increased support to the EU's partners". Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2015-03-14.
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