BRUSSELS, Belgium: Switzerland will join the European Union's passport-free travel zone next month under an agreement reached Thursday. Switzerland is not a member of the 27-nation bloc, but is almost surrounded by EU states. The EU's 27 interior ministers said Switzerland had met the necessary security standards to join the borderless zone, which already includes 24 European countries. Swiss authorities will drop identity checks at land borders on Dec. 12 and will lift controls at airports as of March 29 next year, said French Interior Minister Michele Alliot-Marie, who chaired Thursday's talks. EU Justice and Home Affairs Commissioner Jacques Barrot said Swiss membership in the so-called Schengen zone could be suspended next year if a Swiss referendum planned for February overturns an earlier decision to allow EU citizens in the landlocked country to live and work freely.
BRUSSELS, Belgium: Switzerland will join the European Union's passport-free travel zone next month under an agreement reached Thursday.
Switzerland is not a member of the 27-nation bloc, but is almost surrounded by EU states.
The EU's 27 interior ministers said Switzerland had met the necessary security standards to join the borderless zone, which already includes 24 European countries.
Swiss authorities will drop identity checks at land borders on Dec. 12 and will lift controls at airports as of March 29 next year, said French Interior Minister Michele Alliot-Marie, who chaired Thursday's talks.
EU Justice and Home Affairs Commissioner Jacques Barrot said Swiss membership in the so-called Schengen zone could be suspended next year if a Swiss referendum planned for February overturns an earlier decision to allow EU citizens in the landlocked country to live and work freely.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Switzerland will join the European Union's passport-free zone on 12 December, EU ministers agreed on Thursday (27 November). But the Alpine country's participation in the "Schengen area" could be interrupted if it votes to shut out EU workers from Bulgaria and Romania in a referendum next year. Switzerland opens its borders to EU citizens, but is wary of Bulgarians and Romanians. Under the agreement, Swiss authorities will drop passport checks at the land borders to Germany, France, Italy and Austria - but would have to enhance controls at the border with Liechtenstein, which is not part of the Schengen area. Airport controls would last longer, until 29 March, when airlines switch to their summer schedule, as to allow them to re-organise terminals and boarding facilities to meet the Schengen requirements. French interior minister Michele Alliot-Marie, who chaired the EU meeting, said she was "particularly happy about this decision" and congratulated the Swiss authorities.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Switzerland will join the European Union's passport-free zone on 12 December, EU ministers agreed on Thursday (27 November). But the Alpine country's participation in the "Schengen area" could be interrupted if it votes to shut out EU workers from Bulgaria and Romania in a referendum next year.
Switzerland opens its borders to EU citizens, but is wary of Bulgarians and Romanians.
Under the agreement, Swiss authorities will drop passport checks at the land borders to Germany, France, Italy and Austria - but would have to enhance controls at the border with Liechtenstein, which is not part of the Schengen area.
Airport controls would last longer, until 29 March, when airlines switch to their summer schedule, as to allow them to re-organise terminals and boarding facilities to meet the Schengen requirements.
French interior minister Michele Alliot-Marie, who chaired the EU meeting, said she was "particularly happy about this decision" and congratulated the Swiss authorities.
but is almost surrounded by EU states.
"almost" - thanks to Liechtenstein. In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
