The Christmas market in Nuremberg, families coming together in Warsaw, a Christmas holiday in Prague or New Year skiing in the Alps. All of these will become much easier when the Schengen area enlarges in time for Christmas this year.
Citizens in the new member states of Poland, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia and Malta and in the current Schengen countries (all the previous EU countries except the United Kingdom and Ireland plus Norway and Iceland) will finally fully benefit from the free movement of persons - one of the fundamental achievements of the European Union.
Enlargement of the Schengen area will enable them to travel across an area of 24 countries without internal border controls. Families and friends can come together without queuing at internal border crossings - and for people from outside the EU, only one visa is needed for travelling in the whole of the Schengen area and no visa is needed if they hold a residence permit issued by a member state.
This is a real benefit for the citizens of the member states that joined the EU in 2004. It will make travelling quicker and easier. For all the member states of the Union this shows the benefit of acting together in a European framework. An area without internal border control is an amazing achievement without historical precedent. From December, travel will be possible from the Iberian peninsula to the Baltic states and from Greece to Finland without border checks. This is truly symbolic of a united Europe. And a basic right for Europe's citizens.
This historic achievement follows much preparation. Joining the Schengen area is not an easy undertaking. It is a challenge, as we must strike the right balance between freedom and security: Facilitating travel for bona fide people who want to come to Europe to enjoy our diverse cultures and our hospitality while ensuring our common security. Lifting internal border controls is also a question of trust between the member states. A peer evaluation process will help member states gain confidence in each other's capacity to guard the external borders on behalf of all the others and to issue visas that are valid for the whole of the Schengen area.
Fifty-eight evaluation missions covering data protection, police cooperation, external border controls at land, sea and air borders, and visa policy were undertaken in 2006. In 2007, 15 re-evaluation visits were carried out, together with a new sea and air border evaluation. Nine Schengen information system evaluations visits were completed. Such onerous procedures are needed for our security and to build the necessary trust between member states.
It is thanks to the great efforts made by the new member states that the Schengen evaluation process was able to confirm their capacity to join the Schengen area. The priority is to give citizens more freedom while ensuring the necessary security is in place. This has been achieved. This would have not been possible without the financial solidarity shown by all Schengen member states. Nearly €1 billion enabled the new member states to meet the challenge of building up effective border controls and to become full partners in the Schengen area.
Last but not least, I must congratulate the Portuguese Presidency on its strategic leadership and clarity of purpose in making an initial success of the Schengen information system, the SISone4All project. This shows what can be accomplished if everyone is fully committed to a complex project.
I believe this enlargement of an area without internal borders is a historic achievement for the citizens of the European Union. It will bring real benefits in time for Christmas this year. I am proud to have been part of this, and I would like to thank the member states for all their hard work.
Mr Frattini is EU Commissioner for Justice, Freedom and Security.