Czech Republic expected to enter Schengen zone before Christmas

The final approval of the extension of the Schengen area without inner border checks will be a mere formality, Czech Interior Minister Ivan Langer indicated on Thursday after the EU interior ministers agreed on the Shengen expansion as of December 21. At present the Schengen zone includes 13 EU countries, plus Norway and Iceland. The border-free area will be joined by nine new EU member states, including the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Author: Ruth Fraňková