Nine newcomers join Schengen
As of 21 December, the Schengen area will expand to include nine new countries.
The new Schengen map. Old Schengen countries in dark purple, new Schengen members in light purple.
On 21 December the Schengen area will expand to include nine new countries. For the new countries, this means that land and sea borders with other Schengen countries will disappear.
The countries whose border posts will be dismantled - starting this week - are the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. Border controls at airports will disappear at the end of March 2008.
Citizens of the above countries will have the right to travel freely in the Schengen area and to stay in a Schengen country for three months, just like Swedish citizens and foreign citizens with permanent resident permits in Sweden.
