How the Schengen Generation Redefined European Ambition

The Schengen-Fueled Ambition of Portugal's '90s Generation

Born into a borderless Europe, Portugal's generation of 90s children became the living embodiment of Schengen ideals - using Erasmus exchanges and budget airlines to turn continental mobility into career strategy. This cohort, now aged 26-35, leveraged their EU citizenship to overcome Portugal's economic crisis through what Sara Aguiar of Coletivo Matéria calls "competitive Europeanization".

From Crisis to Continental Opportunity

Witnessing parents lose jobs during Portugal's financial turmoil, these digital natives turned to three key advantages:

• Unprecedented access to Erasmus+ study programs
• Budget airline networks connecting Lisbon to Berlin for €29
• Remote work tools allowing Portuguese salaries to fund Berlin lifestyles

"We're the first generation that could realistically choose between Porto and Prague for our first apartment," explains Diogo Amorim, CEO of Gleba. "Schengen didn't just remove borders - it removed mental barriers."

The Productivity Paradox

While 20% of this generation entered their 30s without social security contributions according to the Green Book on Social Security, their EU-wide professional networks created unexpected advantages:

• Portuguese tech workers commanding German salaries while living in Lisbon
• Wine exporters like Anna Jorgensen leveraging Schengen logistics
• Digital nomads like Diana Duarte blending Portuguese culture with global income

As journalist Maria Castello Branco notes: "We're not emigrants - we're Europeans who happen to have Portuguese passports. That distinction changes everything."