Last Friday, Malta became part of what is known as the Schengen zone – an area that now stretches across most of Europe, embracing 24 countries where freedom of movement is now almost complete.

Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – countries that had, like Malta, joined the European Union on 1 May 2004 – last Friday also became part of a system that provides easier access for citizens travelling between states that form part of the Schengen zone.

Of the 10 countries that become members of the EU three years ago, only Cyprus said it needed more time before its border controls are lifted. The 24 countries that form part of the Schengen zone include states that are not European Union members – Iceland and Norway.

The Schengen zone has been in existence for 22 years now. It started off in 1985 with five countries – France, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and The Netherlands – taking the name of the village in Luxembourg where the agreement was signed. It has now grown to 24 countries, including Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Austria, Denmark, Sweden and Finland.

As of last Friday, people travelling by sea from Malta to any other Schengen state will no longer be subject to passport checks or border controls. The land controls between the other Schengen members have also been lifted, but this of course does not apply to Malta, being an island. But, in three months time, passport checks and border controls for people travelling by air will also be eliminated.

All this could not be carried out unless Malta prepared itself well. This is because while travelling has been made easier, at the same time it must remain as safe as can be. We all want to be and feel safe during our travels, and therefore certain measures have been implemented to make sure, as much as possible, that the element of safety and security remains in spite of the lifting of the border controls.

While travelling has been made easier because of the adoption of the so-called common external borders, cooperation between the police in the Schengen member states has been strengthened through various measures to keep travelling safe. Malta, in fact, has had to overcome stiff hurdles to meet with the zone’s strict border control criteria.

For example, Malta has adhered to the zone’s common visa policy, with visas issued in Malta now effectively serving as visa for the 24 countries in the Schengen zone. Malta has also had to come in line with the Schengen Information System, which boasts of real-time data on wanted people in other Schengen member states.

This SIS database allows police to know whether a suspect has been involved in any kind of crime across the zone. The local SIS is operating from the new Sirene Unit, which forms part of the Malta Police Force, and runs on 24/7 shift of officers on the alert for any new information coming in, while at the same time sending any information from Malta to all other Schengen zone states.

Justice and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg said that the Schengen system’s checks and balances, especially through the SIS, have been designed to actually increase border security, albeit making it less bureaucratic for people to move within the member states. We do hope that this is the case.

The real test will come when the air travel controls are lifted. This is because the great majority of people travelling to and from Malta do so by air. This will mean that the arrivals area at the Malta International Airport will be divided into two parts – that for travellers coming from Schengen states and another for travellers coming from outside this zone.