Post by MiG on Dec 27, 2007 12:34:10 GMT -5
Croatia now borders Schengen zone
With neighbours Hungary and Slovenia now enjoying passport-free travel within the EU, Croatia has been introducing reforms meant to bring border control in line with Schengen requirements.
Nine EU member states, including Hungary and Slovenia, joined the Schengen visa zone on Friday (December 21st). Their citizens will now enjoy passport-free travel within the zone. Meanwhile, the move has meant new procedures for travellers from Croatia, the westernmost country to share a border with the bloc.
Croatian citizens can still travel to Slovenia using only their ID cards, as was the case before. However, they must now fill out a separate card with personal data and receive a stamp from the border control. So far the process has gone smoothly, and the authorities say there were no delays or technical problems.
Some local residents who live near the border need to cross every day, for work or other reasons. They are being given special keys that allow them access to ramps leading into and out of their home country. Around 700 keys have been given to Croatian citizens; even more are being given to Slovenians.
At border crossings, different lanes have been created for EU citizens, non-EU citizens and Croatian citizens. To prepare for the neighbouring country's entry into Schengen, Croatian border and customs services had to introduce a number of reforms, bringing the control system into line with Schengen standards. Fingerprint scanners, cameras and a new computer infrastructure have been put in place so that border police can easily identify and verify the identities of travellers.
Croatia also borders another new Schengen member, Hungary. But traffic through Slovenia is far more intense, as the main traffic routes from Southeast Europe pass through this route. According to official data, more than 55 million people cross the Croatia-Slovenia border each year.
As the neighbour of Schengen countries, Croatia is gaining experience that will help it in its own bid for EU membership. The country hopes to enter the bloc by 2009 and become the next member of the Schengen zone. When that happens, the new standards now being introduced at the northern and western borders will be extended to the south and east.
With neighbours Hungary and Slovenia now enjoying passport-free travel within the EU, Croatia has been introducing reforms meant to bring border control in line with Schengen requirements.
Nine EU member states, including Hungary and Slovenia, joined the Schengen visa zone on Friday (December 21st). Their citizens will now enjoy passport-free travel within the zone. Meanwhile, the move has meant new procedures for travellers from Croatia, the westernmost country to share a border with the bloc.
Croatian citizens can still travel to Slovenia using only their ID cards, as was the case before. However, they must now fill out a separate card with personal data and receive a stamp from the border control. So far the process has gone smoothly, and the authorities say there were no delays or technical problems.
Some local residents who live near the border need to cross every day, for work or other reasons. They are being given special keys that allow them access to ramps leading into and out of their home country. Around 700 keys have been given to Croatian citizens; even more are being given to Slovenians.
At border crossings, different lanes have been created for EU citizens, non-EU citizens and Croatian citizens. To prepare for the neighbouring country's entry into Schengen, Croatian border and customs services had to introduce a number of reforms, bringing the control system into line with Schengen standards. Fingerprint scanners, cameras and a new computer infrastructure have been put in place so that border police can easily identify and verify the identities of travellers.
Croatia also borders another new Schengen member, Hungary. But traffic through Slovenia is far more intense, as the main traffic routes from Southeast Europe pass through this route. According to official data, more than 55 million people cross the Croatia-Slovenia border each year.
As the neighbour of Schengen countries, Croatia is gaining experience that will help it in its own bid for EU membership. The country hopes to enter the bloc by 2009 and become the next member of the Schengen zone. When that happens, the new standards now being introduced at the northern and western borders will be extended to the south and east.
Source: www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2007/12/26/feature-02