Island fares well in the first report on Schengen area

Malta came out with flying colours in the first evaluation report of the Schengen area drafted by the European Commission.

The island has managed to implement an efficient system

The report notes that “there are no real issues in the implementation of the Schengen acquis by Malta” and that the island has managed to implement an “efficient system”.

Inspections in Malta were performed on the implementation of rules at its air borders and relating to visa applications. Further inspections are expected this summer to evaluate sea border procedures and data protection rules.

Malta has formed part of Europe’s borderless passport-free area since the end of 2007 after implementing a thorough set of rules that made it eligible to join the other 25 European countries in the area.

The report, drawn up for the first time to strengthen the surveillance aspect of the Schengen rules, identified the Greek border with Turkey as the main problematic area.

According to EU officials, in the last three months of 2011, nearly 30,000 irregular border crossings were detected at the external borders of the EU and about 75 per cent were on the Eastern Mediterranean route.

Following the serious shortcomings identified in Greece, the Commission said it considered that efforts in this area, especially the control of external land and sea borders, had to remain a priority.

“The EU needs to continue supporting the country’s effort to manage its external borders, in particular through assisting Greece to make more efficient use of the relevant EU funds for migration management,” the report says.

On the application of Schengen rules, the report notes that during the six-month period covered, controls at internal borders were reintroduced only twice: by France at its border with Italy (for the G20 summit) and by Spain at its border with France and at the Barcelona and Gerona airports (for the European Central Bank meeting).

According to the rules, member states can only reintroduce border checks in rare occasions, particularly on special events to boost internal security.