Part I - Schengen what?
Malta joined the Schengen area on 21 December, another step in the process of European integration. Essentially, this entails the removal of routine passport checks in ports within the Schengen area, such as popular destinations in Sicily. Although the obligation to carry an ID card or a passport remains, once in Sicily, passengers will disembark without routine checks. Travelling to Sicily will be like travelling between Malta and Gozo.
As from March 2008, all routine passport checks will also be removed from all travel to airports in the Schengen area. Disembarking in Rome, Paris, Barcelona, Brussels, Frankfurt and Prague will also be as easy as disembarking in Gozo from Malta.
In these three short articles, I will give an overview of how our lives will be affected by our membership in the Schengen area. Whether you are a business traveller, a holidaymaker, a frequent and not so frequent traveller to the many European destinations this membership will give you more freedom and more security.
The Schengen Agreement, which provides for the lifting of land, sea or air borders between States was originally signed by five States in 1985 - Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg and The Netherlands. They agreed to lift controls at their respective borders at the town of Schengen in Luxembourg, at the border with France to the west and Germany to the east. A more appropriate location for the signature of such an agreement could hardly have been chosen. The residents of Schengen clearly had a lot to gain from the lifting of internal borders. Before the agreement they would have had to wait to have their passports checked every day on their way to work, or simply to go shopping or visit a friend on the other side of the border.
The Schengen Agreement was implemented almost 10 years after its signature by means of a Convention, which also integrated the agreement within the European Union framework. Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal and Spain became the first States to implement Schengen provisions on 26 March 1995.
The number of States implementing Schengen provisions increased over the years. Italy, Austria, Greece, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden joined in the following years. Although Ireland and the United Kingdom are not Schengen members, they nevertheless participate in Schengen’s Police Cooperation aspects.
When Malta joined the Schengen area on 21 December it did so along with another eight States. The Schengen area is now made up of 24 States, namely 22 EU member States (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and of course, Malta), as well as Iceland and Norway. Over the next few years, the Schengen area is expected to expand further to include Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania and Switzerland.
Joining the Schengen is a historical step for Malta. It will integrate us even more closely to a united Europe.
Part II - Getting more out of Schengen
The most practical outcome of Malta’s accession to the Schengen area is that we will be able to enter practically all EU countries (except for the UK and Ireland) without being subjected to border checks. Travelling by air, sea, train or plane to and inside Europe is now like travelling to Gozo from Malta. Although carrying a valid ID Card or a passport when travelling would still be necessary, there will no longer be routine passport checks for us Maltese in Europe.
Maltese citizens entering the Schengen area from a country outside it will be subject only to a minimum identity border checks.
Border checks in respect of new entrants to the Schengen area were removed on 21st December in the case of land and sea borders. Consequently, a Maltese citizen leaving Malta for Italy by sea will be able to proceed by land to any other Schengen State without being subjected to any border checks. Moreover, it is also be possible to proceed from Italy by air to other Schengen States without border checks.
In March 2008, border checks will be dropped in all the new Schengen area entrants (Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia). As of this date, all Maltese citizens may travel anywhere in the Schengen area and by any means of transport without being subjected to border checks.
But we get more. Malta’s accession to the Schengen area will also facilitate travel for third country nationals who are family members of Maltese citizens, as long as these are the spouse or dependent children under 21.
As for Maltese citizens, third country nationals who are family members of Maltese citizens will not be subject to any border checks when travelling to another Schengen State. It would, however, still be necessary for these persons to be in possession of a passport and the residence document issued by the Maltese authorities or another EU member State.
Part III - More security, not less
Malta’s accession to the Schengen area is undoubtedly a positive step for our country. The removal of internal borders will facilitate travelling in Europe for both Maltese as well as incoming tourists. Some have expressed a concern: does the dropping of border controls mean a drop in the standards of security. Will membership in Schengen increase convenience at the cost of security?
Quite simply, the answer is no. On the contrary, the Schengen area provides for numerous measures intended to safeguard the security of the Schengen States and their citizens.
The removal of internal borders comes with the introduction of common rules governing external borders, that is, borders between Schengen and non-Schengen States. In essence, these rules strengthen the controls over entry into the Schengen area, particularly with respect to third country nationals.
The Schengen Information System provides an electronic link between all the police forces in the Schengen area. Information is shared instantly across Europe, including databases on third country nationals banned from entering the Schengen area. This system ensures that undesirable persons are not admitted by any Schengen State, let alone allowed to benefit from free movement within the Schengen area
The control measures at the external borders are complemented by common rules regulating visas to third country nationals. In fact, visa eligibility requirements to certain third country nationals is intended to enhance security by allowing a prior check on persons seeking to enter the Schengen area. In addition, in cases of emergency it is possible for Schengen States to temporarily reintroduce border checks at the internal borders.
Security is an undisputed priority within the Schengen area. To join, Malta had to pass a series of stringent technical evaluations of its capacity to implement Schengen provisions in their entirety.
Malta joined the Schengen area, along with eight other States from central and Eastern Europe, only because it passed rigorous technical evaluations of its capacities in the following areas:
• Data Protection;
•External Border Management;
• Police Cooperation;
• Implementation and management of the Schengen Information System (SIS);
• The setting up and management of the office that will be used as a focal point of contact for sharing of information (SIRENE – Supplementary Information Request at National Entry); and,
• The issuing of visas by Consulates in third countries.
Security arrangements within the Schengen area are not intended to hinder bona fide travel from outside the Schengen area. Since joining the Schengen area, Maltese authorities will now issue Schengen visas. These will be valid for stays of a maximum of three months, not just in Malta but also in the entire Schengen area. Malta’s diplomatic representatives outside the Schengen area would normally issue such visas before the prospective holder enters. This measure ensures high levels of security.
If the world is becoming a small place, Europe is becoming even smaller. Schengen is another positive step forward in the process of European integration. Europe is no longer just our continent. It is indeed our country: Fl-Ewropa … f’ pajjizi (In Europe… my country).