Bangemann wave

English

Etymology

Suggested by Martin Bangemann (1934–2022), German politician and Commissioner for the Internal Market and Industrial Affairs in the European Commission (1989–1995), in 1992.

Noun

Bangemann wave (plural Bangemann waves)

1. (law, historical) A former method of simplified border control for citizens of the European Communities (and the European Union) at the external frontiers of the Schengen Area (i.e. the borders of the United Kingdom and Ireland), implemented in 1993, which consists of passengers presenting, or waving, their unopened passports or national identity cards to authorities.
   • 1997 December 28, Quentin Letts, “Bring back border controls!”, in The Sunday Telegraph, page 19:

     Thanks to one of the European Union's more risible compromises, all we need do when crossing into most Continental countries is to effect the Bangemann Wave, which consists of placing one hand in a pocket, pulling out a passport and wiggling it momentarily before striding on towards the next airport exit. The Bangemann Wave was named after Martin Bangemann, […]

   • 2007 April, Ruben Zaiotti, “Revisiting Schengen: Europe and the Emergence of a New Culture of Border Control”, in Perspectives on European Politics and Society, volume 8, number 1, →DOI, pages 47–48:

     The idea, widely reported in the press as the ‘Bangemann wave’, entailed that EC nationals entering the UK would not be subject to thorough checks, but walk-through passport control holding up their passports or national identity cards and showing it to the British authorities.