By Bruno Waterfield - 5th December 2006
Borders will open for travellers for 10 new EU countries next year, after agreement by Europe’s justice ministers on Tuesday.
Border checks are still in place for countries, mainly from eastern Europe, that joined the EU in 2004.
Technical problems with new frontier management IT systems had threatened to delay borderless travel until late 2008.
The possible delays had seemed set to spark a bitter row and resentment from new EU members already under free movement restrictions imposed by old Europe.
“This means Europe won't stay divided into two categories,” Czech Interior minister Ivan Langer said.
Under the deal countries will be exempted from border controls if they meet tough frontier rules and join the Schengen information system (SIS).
The European commission will make an assessment of whether security, border and customs standards are in place by mid-2007.
A green light will allow new EU countries to sign up to a temporary enhanced SIS before a new updated version is launched in June 2008.
But final hour cost concerns from London and Dublin were only overcome after new members states offered to pick up Ireland and the UK’s bill for the enlarged SIS.
While Britain and Ireland have not given up border controls both contribute to the SIS bill for policing reasons – the tab is set to rise to €31m with new members.
Nine of 10 new EU members – including eight eastern European countries such as Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia – have applied to join borderless travel.
But barriers may remain in place as Germany and France, which impose labour movement restrictions on many new countries, continue to insist on tough frontiers standards.
Both EU and national officials who are close to the talks, suggest that both Poland and Slovakia may have problems making the grade before June 2007.
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