In December 2015, Sweden passed a temporary law that allows the government to require all transport companies to verify that their passengers carry a valid photo ID. The new law entered into force on 21 December 2015 and is valid until 21 December 2018. [153] The government decided that the new rules would apply from January 4, 2016 to July 4, 2016. The new law has led to mandatory train changes and border control at Copenhagen Airport for travellers between Copenhagen and Sweden and a reduction in the frequency of traffic. [154] Sweden had previously introduced (November 15, 2015) border controls from Denmark, but this could not stop the flow of migrants as they have the right to apply for asylum once on Swedish soil. First of all, when transport companies had to arrest foreigners on the Danish side, asylum seekers were effectively arrested. This led to significant disruptions to rail traffic, as the station did not have the capacity to carry out such checks. These checks lasted until 4 May 2017, after the European Commission declared these checks unacceptable. One EU member state – Ireland – has negotiated derogations from the Schengen area and continues to carry out border controls with other EU member states, while being part of the common travel area with the UK (a former EU member). The other four EU Member States – Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania – are required to join the Schengen area. However, before fully implementing the Schengen rules, the state of preparedness of each state must be assessed in four areas: air borders, visas, police cooperation and the protection of personal data.
This evaluation process includes a questionnaire and visits by EU experts to selected institutions and workplaces in the country to be assessed. [15] According to Schengen rules, hotels and other types of commercial accommodation must register all foreign nationals, including citizens of other Schengen states, requiring that the registration form be completed by their own hand. This does not apply to accompanying spouses and minor children or members of tourist groups. In addition, a valid ID must be presented to the hotel manager or staff. [124] The Schengen rules do not impose other procedures. Thus, the Schengen States are free to regulate in more detail the content of the registration forms and identity documents to be drawn up, and may also require the registration of persons exempted from registration by Schengen laws. The application of these regulations varies from country to country. The developments resulting from the Schengen agreements have now been integrated into the EU regulatory framework. The competent authorities shall respond to requests for information as soon as possible and no later than 60 days after the date of the request. They must respond to requests for rectification or erasure as soon as possible, but no later than three months after the date of the request, and inform the person of the measures he has taken. Where national rules provide for shorter response times, those shorter deadlines shall apply. Germany does not have shorter response times.
In 1990, the Convention was supplemented by the Schengen Convention, which proposed the abolition of internal border controls and a common visa policy. It was this agreement that created the Schengen area through the complete abolition of border controls between Schengen Member States, common visa rules and police and judicial cooperation. [Citation needed] Although Cyprus, which joined the EU on 1 May 2004, is legally obliged to join the Schengen area, its implementation has been delayed due to the Cyprus dispute. According to former Cypriot Foreign Minister Giorgos Lillikas, “strict and comprehensive Schengen-based control will lead daily to a major tribulation for the Turkish Cypriots” of northern Cyprus, and it is unclear whether this control is possible before the dispute is resolved. [53] The British Sovereignty Zones Akrotiri and Dhekelia, a British overseas territory outside the EU, also need “different manipulations and mechanisms”. [53] Akrotiri and Dhekelia have no border controls with Cyprus, but their own border controls at their air base. In 2018[Update], no date was set for Cyprus to implement the Schengen rules. [54] Cyprus has fewer potential benefits from the implementation of Schengen as it does not have a land border with another EU Member State; Air travel or around 12 hours of sea travel is required to the nearest EU Member State. At many external border crossing points, there are special routes for EU, EEA and Swiss nationals (and their family members) and other routes for all travellers, regardless of nationality. [217] At some external border crossing points, there is a third type of route for travellers who are annex II nationals (i.B nationals of non-EU/EEA/Swiss countries exempt from the visa requirement).
[218] Although Andorran and San Marino nationals are not EU or EEA citizens, they can still use the special routes for EU, EEA and Swiss citizens. [219] BRITISH citizens will not be able to use the EU route after Brexit under the current state of the rules unless such a right is negotiated in the Brexit deal with the EU. Now that the Schengen Agreement is part of the acquis communautaire, it has lost treaty status for EU members, which could only be changed on its terms. Instead, changes are made in accordance with the EU legislative process under the EU Treaties. [12] Ratification by the former signatories of the Convention is not necessary to amend or repeal the former Schengen acquis in whole or in part. [13] Acts laying down the conditions for accession to the Schengen area are now adopted by a majority of EU legislative bodies. The new EU Member States do not sign the Schengen Agreement as such, but are required to implement the Schengen rules within the framework of the already existing EU legislation that any new entrant must accept. [Citation needed] After Slovakia, Denmark, the Czech Republic and Poland announced the complete closure of their national borders in mid-March, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: “Some controls may be justified, but general travel bans are not considered the most effective by the World Health Organisation. In addition, they have a strong social and economic impact, disrupting the lives of people and businesses across borders. [166] Von der Leyen also apologized to Italy, amid widespread discontent among Italians over the lack of solidarity in Europe. [167] At the end of March 2020, almost all internal borders in the Schengen area were closed to non-essential travel. By July 2020, most of the borders closed due to the coronavirus had been reopened. .