Subject: Re: [BoundaryPoint] Gorizia, Italy - Nova Gorica, Slovenia<br/>
Date: Mar 29, 2004 @ 16:32<br/>
Author: Kevin Meynell (Kevin Meynell &lt;knm@...&gt;)<br/>
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<div id="ygrps-yiv-1273715406"><blockquote><span title="ireply">&gt;so will this residual itsi boreder check on the itsi peoples til 2007 be <br/>
&gt;fairly typical among the eu25 countries or will it be fairly exceptional<br/>
<br/>
 </span></blockquote>Only the EU countries in the Schengen Agreement do not have border controls <br/>
between each other. This currently only excludes the UK and Ireland <br/>
(although they have their own common travel area), and includes the EEA <br/>
countries of Norway and Iceland.<br/>
<br/>
However, Schengen will not automatically apply to the ten new EU countries, <br/>
partly because their citizens will not have work or residence rights in <br/>
some of the existing EU countries for up to seven years (some EU members <br/>
will have no restrictions, whilst others will apply them for less than <br/>
maximum allowed). In addition, the EU must first be satisfied that the <br/>
border controls with non-EU countries are effective.<br/>
<br/>
<blockquote><span title="ireply"> &gt;i was imagining completely open borders would be the rule between & among <br/>
&gt;all 25 of these member states<br/>
<br/>
 </span></blockquote>No, and it never was the case.<br/>
<br/>
<blockquote><span title="ireply"> &gt;& wouldnt this residual customs &or immigration check apply all the more <br/>
&gt;stringently to 3rd party peoples or yikes non eu peoples<br/>
<br/>
 </span></blockquote>There are no custom checks between any EU countries, with the exceptions of <br/>
external territories that have special customs status (e.g. the Canary <br/>
Islands, Guernsey and Jersey). Where there are border controls, you merely <br/>
need to show a passport or official identity card.<br/>
<br/>
<blockquote><span title="ireply"> &gt;but then wont they all really be one country then anyway<br/>
<br/>
 </span></blockquote>Why not? The EU is not really analogous to the United States, even as it <br/>
was immediately after 1789.<br/>
<br/>
<blockquote><span title="ireply"> &gt;then isnt the eu becoming a rather glaring & marvelous exception to the <br/>
&gt;general rule that countries are defined by their actually manned borders<br/>
<br/>
 </span></blockquote>There were already several examples of open borders in Europe - FRMC, CHLI <br/>
and ITSM.<br/>
<br/>
Regards,<br/>
<br/>
Kevin Meynell</div>