The subject of this paper is the Schengen area and the common external border management policy. The first part of the paper discusses the emergence and development of the Schengen area, the most important legal acts governing the Schengen area and the management of external borders, namely the Schengen Agreement and the Schengen Borders Code. The method of conducting the Schengen evaluation by which the Member States are preparing to become part of the Schengen area is also presented. The second part of the paper described the Schengen regime for the management of the external borders, the method of carrying out state border control and the procedure for border control and protection of the state border.The concept of integrated external border management is described, emphasizing the importance of migration and asylum policies, which have been relevant at the global level in recent years, mainly due to the migration crisit that Croatia has also been facing. The role of the Schengen Information System was described, as well as the role of Frontex for effective management of external borders. The third part of the paper focuses on security issues at the borders, illegal migration, human trafficking, the role of the border in combatting terrorism. Border security statistics are presented and the role and importance of border police for the effective management of external borders has been defined.