EU approves Swiss membership of Schengen
The European Union has given the green light for Switzerland to join the border-free Schengen Area covering 27 countries on the continent.
As of December 12 systematic checks on individuals will be abolished and cooperation will be increased in the fight against cross-border crime.
EU interior ministers meeting in Brussels unanimously approved the treaty with Switzerland on Thursday, according to the EU presidency.
While terrestrial borders will no longer have passport control points, goods traffic will still be subject to regular customs searches.
Checks at airports in Switzerland - which is not a EU member - are likely to be lifted next March.
Swiss Justice Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf said the accord could help boost tourism and improve procedures in dealing with asylum seekers from other Schengen states.
Police would also be better equipped to track cross-border criminals by using the Schengen Information System, a data bank used by many European countries with information on wanted persons and stolen goods.
She rejected claims the Schengen arrangement would have a negative effect on Swiss security.
The European Commission vice-president, Jacques Barrot, warned the treaty would face a major hurdle in February when a Swiss referendum takes place on a bilateral labour accord. A no vote would "probably lead to a rupture in Switzerland's participation in the Schengen Area", he said.
In 2005 Swiss voters approved membership of the Schengen Area in a nationwide ballot.
The meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council was held on 27-28 November in Brussels. The French Interior Minister Michéle Alliot-Marie chaired the last JHA Council of the French Presidency. The further actions to combat terrorism, the Commission’s proposal for the European PNR System (transfer and processing of passenger name records), the implementation of the global approach to migration and the problems concerning the free movement of persons related to the situation of the Iraqi refugees constituted the main issues on the agenda.
During their meeting on Thursday (27 November), EU interior and justice ministers formally approved the accession of non-EU member state Switzerland to the Schengen free zone, starting from 12 December. Thus, Switzerland will be the 25th country within the Schengen Group including the other two non-EU member states Norway and Iceland.
Switzerland which belongs to neither the European Union nor the European Economic Area had set negotiations with the Commission in 2002. An agreement was concluded between the EU and Switzerland on 26 October 2004 (Official Journal L 370 of 17.12.2004). Later in 2005, the Schengen/Dublin Agreement was presented to the approval of the Swiss people. Following the traditional evaluation process, the previous day, interior ministers concluded that Switzerland fully complies with the Schengen Acquis, mainly the security standards and therefore is eligible for admission.
The lifting of land border controls between Switzerland and its neighbors (except its border with Liechtenstein) will take place on 12 December. Since Liechtenstein has not been a member of the Schengen group, Switzerland had to put some special border arrangements towards it. The country will drop identity checks at airports on March 29th next year after the completion of the remaining necessary adjustments. In this regard, this application will only cover the free movement of persons. The land carriage will continue to be subject to customs check.
The admission of Switzerland was welcomed by both the Swiss government and the European leaders. It was said that the cooperation will serve to the improvement of security conditions both in the Switzerland and its neighboring countries. Furthermore, a boost in tourism is anticipated due to the elimination of strict visa requirements.
Yet, there still remains a risk about the implementation of the Treaty. EU Justice and Home Affairs Commissioner Jacques Barrot made a statement warning that in case of an overturn of the earlier decision regarding the extension of free movement of EU workers to Bulgaria and Romania by the Swiss voters in referendum next year, the country’s participation in the Schengen area may be interrupted. Nationalist parties in Switzerland are opposing the extension of the labor agreement with the EU covering the newest countries Bulgaria and Romania. They claim that this extension will result in mass labor immigration flows from less developed countries and will harm the delicate social balance in the country. The Swiss people will have the final decision on 8 February 2009.
The Schengen Area was firstly formed among the five EU member states, namely, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands and Belgium in 1985. A further implementing convention was signed in 1990 and entered into force in 1995. It aimed to abolish the internal borders among the signatory states and create a single external border where common rules regarding visas and right of asylum are applied. So far 24 countries have joined the Schengen Zone, including two non-EU member states, Norway and Iceland. Among the EU member states, Britain, Ireland and Cyprus chose to stay outside the zone, however they apply the provisions relating to police and judicial co-operation. Newest member states Bulgaria and Romania have not yet fulfilled the security requirements for the membership. They are anticipated to join the group by 2011.
As of December 12 systematic checks on individuals will be abolished and cooperation will be increased in the fight against cross-border crime.
EU interior ministers meeting in Brussels unanimously approved the treaty with Switzerland on Thursday, according to the EU presidency.
While terrestrial borders will no longer have passport control points, goods traffic will still be subject to regular customs searches.
Checks at airports in Switzerland - which is not a EU member - are likely to be lifted next March.
Swiss Justice Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf said the accord could help boost tourism and improve procedures in dealing with asylum seekers from other Schengen states.
Police would also be better equipped to track cross-border criminals by using the Schengen Information System, a data bank used by many European countries with information on wanted persons and stolen goods.
She rejected claims the Schengen arrangement would have a negative effect on Swiss security.
The European Commission vice-president, Jacques Barrot, warned the treaty would face a major hurdle in February when a Swiss referendum takes place on a bilateral labour accord. A no vote would "probably lead to a rupture in Switzerland's participation in the Schengen Area", he said.
In 2005 Swiss voters approved membership of the Schengen Area in a nationwide ballot.
The meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council was held on 27-28 November in Brussels. The French Interior Minister Michéle Alliot-Marie chaired the last JHA Council of the French Presidency. The further actions to combat terrorism, the Commission’s proposal for the European PNR System (transfer and processing of passenger name records), the implementation of the global approach to migration and the problems concerning the free movement of persons related to the situation of the Iraqi refugees constituted the main issues on the agenda.
During their meeting on Thursday (27 November), EU interior and justice ministers formally approved the accession of non-EU member state Switzerland to the Schengen free zone, starting from 12 December. Thus, Switzerland will be the 25th country within the Schengen Group including the other two non-EU member states Norway and Iceland.
Switzerland which belongs to neither the European Union nor the European Economic Area had set negotiations with the Commission in 2002. An agreement was concluded between the EU and Switzerland on 26 October 2004 (Official Journal L 370 of 17.12.2004). Later in 2005, the Schengen/Dublin Agreement was presented to the approval of the Swiss people. Following the traditional evaluation process, the previous day, interior ministers concluded that Switzerland fully complies with the Schengen Acquis, mainly the security standards and therefore is eligible for admission.
The lifting of land border controls between Switzerland and its neighbors (except its border with Liechtenstein) will take place on 12 December. Since Liechtenstein has not been a member of the Schengen group, Switzerland had to put some special border arrangements towards it. The country will drop identity checks at airports on March 29th next year after the completion of the remaining necessary adjustments. In this regard, this application will only cover the free movement of persons. The land carriage will continue to be subject to customs check.
The admission of Switzerland was welcomed by both the Swiss government and the European leaders. It was said that the cooperation will serve to the improvement of security conditions both in the Switzerland and its neighboring countries. Furthermore, a boost in tourism is anticipated due to the elimination of strict visa requirements.
Yet, there still remains a risk about the implementation of the Treaty. EU Justice and Home Affairs Commissioner Jacques Barrot made a statement warning that in case of an overturn of the earlier decision regarding the extension of free movement of EU workers to Bulgaria and Romania by the Swiss voters in referendum next year, the country’s participation in the Schengen area may be interrupted. Nationalist parties in Switzerland are opposing the extension of the labor agreement with the EU covering the newest countries Bulgaria and Romania. They claim that this extension will result in mass labor immigration flows from less developed countries and will harm the delicate social balance in the country. The Swiss people will have the final decision on 8 February 2009.
The Schengen Area was firstly formed among the five EU member states, namely, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands and Belgium in 1985. A further implementing convention was signed in 1990 and entered into force in 1995. It aimed to abolish the internal borders among the signatory states and create a single external border where common rules regarding visas and right of asylum are applied. So far 24 countries have joined the Schengen Zone, including two non-EU member states, Norway and Iceland. Among the EU member states, Britain, Ireland and Cyprus chose to stay outside the zone, however they apply the provisions relating to police and judicial co-operation. Newest member states Bulgaria and Romania have not yet fulfilled the security requirements for the membership. They are anticipated to join the group by 2011.
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