A newly installed sign indicating the direction for Schengen travelers is seen at Henri Coanda International Airport near Bucharest, Romania, March 31, 2024. (Photo by Cristian Cristel/Xinhua)The EU will continue to strengthen the political and operational governance of Schengen, accelerate the implementation of digitalization to prevent security risks and enhance cooperation among law enforcement.BRUSSELS, April 23 (Xinhua) -- 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.Law enforcement officers conduct random inspections on border-crossing vehicles in Haskovo, Bulgaria, Jan. 1, 2025. Romania and Bulgaria officially joined the Schengen Area on Wednesday, eliminating border checks with neighboring Hungary and between the two countries.This marks their full integration into Europe's passport-free travel zone, and ceremonies were held at key border crossings, attended by senior officials from both nations. (BTA via Xinhua)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.Police work at a border checkpoint in Frankfurt (Oder), Germany, Sept. 10, 2024. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)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."