Poland and Schengen Seminar organised by the Natolin Centre within the JHA Forum Warsaw, 9 December

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Poland and SchengenSeminar organised by the
Natolin Centre within the JHA Forum Warsaw, 9
December 2005

• SCHENGEN EVALUATION OF THE NEW MEMBER STATES
• THE POINT OF VIEW OF
• THE FINNISH PRESIDENCY IN 2006
• Laura Yli-Vakkuri
• Senior Adviser, Legal Affairs

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THE ENLARGEMENT OF THE SCHENGEN AREA

• Most important decision of the EU in the coming
  years relating to internal security
• Of consequence for external relations as well
• The EUs interest in safe and functioning
  borders
• PHARE, TACIS, SCHENGEN FACILITY

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LEGAL FOUNDATION FOR IMPLEMENTING SCHENGEN ACQUIS

• Schengen Protocol to the Treaty of Amsterdam
  (1997)
• EU Accession Treaty of the new Member States
  (2003)

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TWO-PHASE IMPLEMENTATION OF SCHENGEN ACQUIS

• 1. Upon EU accession internal border controls
  remain in place
• Special Schengen evaluation process
• 2. Separate decision to lift internal border
  controls

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SCHENGEN EVALUATION TIMETABLE

• 2005-2006 Preparation of evaluation visits for
  2006
• 2006 First phase of evaluation visits
• Dec 2006 Report to Council
• 2007 Follow-up visits
• Council Discussion on lifting borders
• Parallel inspection of SIS related parts
  follow-up visits

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FIRST PHASE EVALUATIONS 2006

• Police Cooperation
• Data Protection
• Visas
• Air Borders
• Sea Borders
• Land Borders

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PREPARATIONS FOR SCHENGEN EVALUATION IN 2005 -
2006

• Drafting by country of programme for visits
• Discussion in the Troika
• Agreement by Schengen Evaluation Working Group
• Responses to questionaires December 2005

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SCHENGEN EVALUATION PROCESS IN 2006

• Presentations by experts to Schengen Evaluation
  Working Group
• Inspection Committee visits
• Discussion of draft reports with countries
  visited
• Discussion of reports in Schengen Evaluation
  Working Group
• Report to Justice and Home Affairs Council
  December 2006

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REPORT TO JUSTICE AND HOME AFFAIRS COUNCIL
DECEMBER 2006

• For evaluations taken place in 2006
• Situation report recommendations
• May recommend follow-up visits

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FOLLOW-UP TO REPORT IN 2007

• Follow-up visits Feb March 2007
• Confirmation whether recommendations implemented

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EVALUATION TIMETABLE FOR POLAND

• Data protection February 2006
• Police cooperation March 2006
• Seaborders April 2006
• Airborders May 2006
• Landborders October 2006
• Visas May September 2006

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NEXT STEPS IN 2007

• Inspection of SIS related parts follow-up visits
• SIS and SIRENE evaluation
• Use of SIS at the borders
• Consultation of SIS for visas
• Council discussion on lifting borders
• FOLLOWED BY DECISION TO LIFT INTERNAL BORDER
  CONTROLS