MEP welcomes Schengen entry

MEP Simon Busuttil has welcomed the decision to bring all the new EU countries into the Schengen system in a year's time.

Land and sea border controls will be lifted by December 2007 whereas air border controls will be lifted by March 2008 which means that Maltese citizens will be able to travel to other EU countries without any immigration controls whatsoever with no passport or ID card, giving them complete freedom of movement within the EU, he said.

The EU ministers meeting in the Justice and Home Affairs Council agreed to give the go-ahead to include the 10 new EU countries in the Schengen system by the end of next year.

Currently, the Schengen zone includes all EU countries except Britain and Ireland, which opted to stay out.

The plan to include the new member states was stalled for a time because of delays in the implementation of a new Schengen Information System, known as SIS II, which is required to help countries strengthen their external borders.

However, following the Council decision, new countries will now be allowed to join on schedule provided that they fulfill security requirements.

Entry into the Schengen area is not automatic upon membership of the EU since it is dependent on the member state's capacity to manage its external borders first.

As from mid-2007, the Commission will make a final assessment in order to ensure that the new member states have fulfilled the necessary security requirements.

The final decision will be taken in Autumn 2007 by the European Council.