Evolution of road transport and of road mobility - 4/4: borders before and after Schengen Convention
This production explores the evolution of road border crossings in Europe, and at the borders of the EU, from the 1960s to 2025, through a selection of audiovisual archives from the media library of the European Commission. Presented without commentary, this compilation highlights the transformation of road travel and road freight transport across European borders over more than six decades. The footage documents the procedures and infrastructures that once characterised international road crossings, including customs posts, passport controls, border barriers, vehicle inspections, queues of cars and lorries, and the administrative formalities associated with cross-border travel. It follows the gradual implementation of the Schengen Agreements and the progressive opening of internal European borders, illustrating the profound changes experienced by motorists, coach passengers, and road haulage operators as many controls disappeared. The film also shows the continued operation of external border crossings between the European Union and neighbouring countries, where road traffic and freight transport remain subject to customs and border procedures. Through images of roads, border facilities, private vehicles, buses, lorries, and international traffic flows, this production offers a visual testimony to the evolution of road border crossings and freedom of movement in Europe, from an era of systematic controls to one of increasingly integrated road mobility.