European Union (EU) officials on Tuesday have approved a deal, which will allow EU’s 10 new members to join borderless travel system , known as the Schengen visa system, by the end of next year.
The officials decided to lift controls at land and sea borders between the EU’s old and new member countries, if the new members follow the stringent bloc’s border and customs standards.
According to a timetable scheduled by EU interior and justice ministers, land borders are to be opened from Dec. 31, 2007 while airport and sea border checks will remove their border checks by March 30, 2008.
Fifteen states are presently incorporated in the Schengen visa system. The states, which have applied for full entry into the Schengen zone are - Malta, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Slovakia and Slovenia, while the divided island of Cyprus has decided to keep in place some border checks. Another European country Switzerland, which is not a member of EU, is also set to join Schengen Agreement next year.
Under the agreement, the 10 nations would be temporarily allowed to link into the current visa data system, which will be adapted to accommodate the new members until the new updated version is launched in June 2008.
It is worth noticing that Britain and Ireland, two of the oldest members, are not a part of Schengen zone, But these countries sharing the cost of system which costs around US$33 million a year. Adding the new members would cost up to an additional $8 million.
The removal of restrictions is praiseworthy, as it will loosen stringent visa norms among the EU nations. Tourism industry analysts believe that it will not only help in a great extent for industry but will also encourage more tourists in sharing their borders frequently without any trouble.
Via: Business Week
