Europe

Europe

Liechtenstein joins Schengen area

19 December 2011 17:35 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Liechtenstein becomes the 26th nation to join the Schengen area, said a statement issued by the European Commission on Monday, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

This means the over 400 million people from 26 European countries can enjoy "passport-free travel" across the Schengen area, according to the statement.

"The Schengen Area has grown rapidly, allowing for increasing numbers of European citizens and third country visitors to enjoy free movement across more and more countries," said Cecilia Malmstrom, Commissioner for Home Affairs.

"With Liechtenstein joining today, we are further developing one of the most cherished achievements of the EU," Malmstrom said.

From now on, checks on persons will be abolished at the borders with Liechtenstein, which will fully implement the Schengen rules.

Liechtenstein signed a Schengen association agreement with the European Union on 28 February 2008, the first step towards accession to the Schengen area.

The decision on lifting internal border controls was made by the Council of the European Union on December 13, after consulting the European Parliament and following an evaluation in the relevant areas of the country’s readiness for the full implementation of the Schengen rules.

Today, the Schengen area comprises 26 Schengen Member States: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, these are the EU countries.

At the same time, four associated non-EU countries are also members, which are Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and now Liechtenstein.

Bulgaria, Romania and Cyprus only partially apply the Schengen acquis at the moment and checks are therefore still carried out at the borders with these three Member States.