BRUSSELS - The European Union (EU) is set to reinforce its Schengen border-free zone as previous efforts have resulted in a significant decline in irregular crossings in 2024, the European Commission said on Wednesday.

"Intensified EU efforts have led to a decline in irregular crossings at Schengen's external borders, with around 240,000 detections (in 2024) - the lowest since 2021," the report said. This also represents a 38 percent drop in irregular crossings since 2023.

The EU will continue to strengthen the political and operational governance of Schengen, accelerate the implementation of digitalization to prevent security risks, enhance cooperation among law enforcement authorities, and deepen relations with partner countries to improve border protection.

It also plans to improve the effectiveness of measures to return those who do not have a legal right to stay in the EU, after a nearly 12 percent increase in returns of third-country nationals in 2024.

"Schengen will continue to evolve, adapt to new realities and respond to the shifting geopolitical landscape," the report said.

The Schengen area, which was created 40 years ago, covers a population of almost 420 million people and includes 29 countries. These include most EU members and all members of the European Free Trade Association: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

However, in recent years, ten Schengen countries have reintroduced temporary border controls at internal borders, claiming that this was necessary to curb illegal migration.

According to the Commission, Schengen was "once again the world's most visited destination in 2024, welcoming more than half a billion visitors and driving economic growth across the Union."