Enlargement of the Schengen area
Based on an EU Council Decision of 6 December 2007, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and the Czech Republic will become fully-fledged members of the Schengen area of free movement as from 21 December 2007.
Checks at the Member States' internal land and sea borders will be abolished. On account of technical reasons, border checks at airports will be in force until the latter half of March 2008, when new flight schedules become applicable. The new licence procedures will be used also at airports.
Impacts of the change
For citizens of the EU Member States, the change means removal of border checks at the Union's internal borders.
Despite the abolishment of internal border checks, EU citizens and other persons authorised to use the right for free movement must be in possession of a valid travel document in the Schengen area.
Transport companies and accommodation businesses may also require a travel document to ascertain a client's identity.
Effects of the enlargement on citizens of third countries subject to a visa:
- Visas granted after 21 December 2007 valid in the Schengen area entitle visa holders to free movement in the territories of other Member States during the period of validity of the visa.
- Visas granted prior to 21 December 2007 valid in the country of issuance only or Visas with Limited Territorial Validity (VLTV), granted after that, do not entitle visa holders to free movement. Persons entitled to stay in a country with such a visa can stay there as long as stated in their residence permit.
- Visas referred to in para 2 are valid only for transit to the country of destination via other Member States until 30 June 2008, however, not longer than is stated in the visa
- This applies to visas granted by Cyprus, too. - New Member States' old and new residence permits, which are in agreement with the EU regulations, will be valid for movement in the territories of other Member States for a maximum of 90 days in six months. Old Member States' old and new residence permits are valid respectively in the new Member States.
Other EU Member States and countries with associate status
As for Cyprus, full application of the Schengen acquis will probably start in 2009. Switzerland's membership is expected to start in the same year. There is not an agreed timetable concerning Romania and Bulgaria.
The present Schengen countries are: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.