<P> The free movement of persons was a core part of the original Treaty of Rome and, from the early days of the European Economic Community, nationals of EEC member states could travel freely from one member state to another on production of their passports or national identity cards . However, systematic identity controls were still in place at the border between most member states . </P> <P> Disagreement between member states led to an impasse on the abolition of border controls within the Community, but in 1985 five of the then ten member states--Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and West Germany--signed an agreement on the gradual abolition of common border controls . The agreement was signed on the Princess Marie - Astrid boat on the river Moselle near the town of Schengen, Luxembourg, where the territories of France, Germany and Luxembourg meet . Three of the signatories, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, had already abolished common border controls as part of the Benelux Economic Union . </P> <P> The Schengen Agreement was signed independently of the European Union, in part owing to the lack of consensus amongst EU member states over whether or not the EU had the jurisdiction to abolish border controls, and in part because those ready to implement the idea did not wish to wait for others (at this time there was no enhanced co-operation mechanism). The Agreement provided for harmonisation of visa policies, allowing residents in border areas the freedom to cross borders away from fixed checkpoints, the replacement of passport checks with visual surveillance of vehicles at reduced speed, and vehicle checks that allowed vehicles to cross borders without stopping . </P> <P> In 1990, the Agreement was supplemented by the Schengen Convention which proposed the abolition of internal border controls and a common visa policy . It was this Convention that created the Schengen Area through the complete abolition of border controls between Schengen member states, common rules on visas, and police and judicial cooperation . </P>

Why did the uk opt out of the schengen agreement