Archive: European Union | Schengen Schengen
Interior Ministry plans retaliatory measures to stop German police harassment
One and a half years after the Czech Republic’s entry into the
border-free Schengen zone and its citizens are still falling victim to
discriminatory police checks on the German side of the border, or so the
Czech Interior Ministry insists. Now, the ministry is planning a system of
retaliatory, tit-for-tat measures in a bid to make German police change
their tack. More
Five years of membership fuels reflections over Czechs’ EU record
The Czech Republic formally entered the European Union along with nine
other countries on May 1, 2004, in what is the biggest enlargement staged
so far by the EU. Five years on, the anniversary has been greeted with
satisfaction rather than celebration. But there is still a feeling that the
country could have done more to make its EU mark.
More
Topolánek, Gusenbauer discuss Schengen & illegal migration
Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek was on an official visit to Vienna on
Monday to meet with Austrian Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer for a day of
talks that included discussions on the Czech Republic’s Temelín nuclear
power plant and the upcoming EU presidencies. But it was the recent
enlargement of the EU’s Schengen zone that was arguably the most
dominant. Since the relaxation of border controls last month Austria has
seen a rapid new influx of illegal migrants and on Monday both Czech and
Austrian representatives pledged that more would be done to tackle the
problem.
More
The symbolic and practical implications of the Schengen expansion
On December 21 the Czech Republic made another significant step in becoming
a fully-fledged member of the European Union. At midnight, Czechs, along
with nine other new EU member states, abolished their border controls and
become part of the border-free Schengen area. Almost two decades after the
fall of the Iron Curtain, the final barrier separating the former Eastern
and Western bloc has been lifted. On the day of the country’s accession
to the Schengen zone, I spoke to Ivo Slosarcik, lecturer of European and
international law at Charles University. I started by asking him how the
country’s entry to Schengen is going to affect people’s lives:
More
EU interior ministers say nine new countries ready for Schengen zone
The interior ministers of nine countries who are soon set to join the
Schengen free travel zone met representatives of countries already in the
system in Prague on Friday and Saturday. The unanimous conclusion: the
Czech Republic and the other eight new states are well prepared for the
abolishing of border checks and becoming part of the Schengen area.
More
President Klaus attends Visegrad Group summit in Hungary
The presidents of the Visegrad Group - Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the
Czech Republic meet regularly to discuss outstanding issues in bilateral
relations, European affairs and security matters. This week their two-day
summit took them to Keszthely Castle at Lake Balaton in Hungary.
More
Czech Republic will join Schengen zone in January 2008
Czechs planning to travel around Europe next year will have one thing less
to worry about - they will be able to leave their passports at home. The
long awaited accession to the Schengen Agreement, which guarantees the
citizens of all member countries unrestricted travel, will happen in the
first moments of New Year's Day 2008.
More
Schengen high on agenda during Prague visit of commissioner for justice and home affairs
The vice president of the European Commission Franco Fratinni has been
paying a brief visit to Prague. Mr Fratinni came to the Czech capital in
his capacity as commissioner for justice and home affairs, and on Thursday
held talks with the Czech interior minister, Ivan Langer, and justice
minister, Jiri Pospisil. High on the agenda was the enlargement of
Schengen later this year, when the Czech Republic and nine other states
will be admitted to the border-free zone.
More
Czech Republic welcomes Schengen agreement
It was a decision that the Czech Republic and eight other EU newcomers had
long been pushing for. The enlargement of the Schengen border free zone to
nine of the ten states which joined the EU in 2004 on December 31 2007 will
mean an end to border checks and airport controls and will finally give
their citizens complete freedom of movement within the European Union.
More
Visegrad Four presidents vow common stand on Schengen zone entry
The presidents of the four Visegrad Group countries - Poland, Hungary,
Slovakia, and the Czech Republic - met for their annual meeting at Lany
Chateau, west of Prague, this weekend. The group was formed after the fall
of the countries' communist regimes in order to increase their strength on
the international stage. Since their accession to NATO and the European
Union, however, many have questioned the need for such an alliance today.
But after their meeting near Prague, the countries' presidents now say the
group has regained impetus. Dita Asiedu reports: More
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