"One of the fundamental objectives of the European Union (EU) is to create an area without internal borders where people may move, live and work freely, knowing that their rights are fully respected and their security ensured. In this context, home affairs policies have a key role to play. This brochure is part of the series ‘The European Union explained’ that explains what the EU does in the fields where it has powers, why it does this and what it achieves." (Quoted from paper)