The countries seeking to join the European Union will be presented next month with a "road map" explaining implementation of the Schengen open borders agreement once they join, Danish Justice Minister Lene Espersen said last night.
"The provisions of Schengen must be fully implemented by new member states, using the best available practices," she said, noting that the final decision on whether or not to include a member-state in the Schengen arrangements lay with the EU Council of Ministers.
"For candidate countries, it will mean a huge amount of work. It's a very major task," she said.
The agreement, which is currently in force between 13 of the 15 member states plus two non-members, provides for the effective abolition of internal borders, and beefed-up security at external frontiers and other entry points, notably international airports.
The accord has not been joined by Britain or Ireland, but it has been extended to Iceland and Norway, which are not members.
Espersen spoke after a meeting of EU justice and interior ministers in the Danish capital. Denmark currently holds the revolving presidency of EU institutions.
She said the future "road map", to be submitted to a ministerial meeting in October, would contain, as far as possible, an indicative schedule for new members to implement the accords.
AFP