Schengen????? Ireland and UK

[ciaramc]

I remember reading somewhere that Ireland and the UK will become schegen states in 2008? But now I'm unable to find any information on it??? Anybody hear anything about this?

[JAJ]

I remember reading somewhere that Ireland and the UK will become schegen states in 2008?

There is no chance of the U.K. abandoning its border controls in 2008.

[clairey]

I'll ask my friend who works in the Schengen & Institutions Team, International Directorate at the Home Office. Always wondered why they have a Schengen Team when we're not in Schengen...

[Christophe]

I remember reading somewhere that Ireland and the UK will become schegen states in 2008? But now I'm unable to find any information on it??? Anybody hear anything about this?

The plan is, I think, for the states that joined the EU in 2004 to become integrated into the Schengen area in 2008 (it was 2007, but it has been delayed): I wonder if that is the source of what you read? (Not suggesting that you misunderstood what you read, rather that whoever wrote it had misunderstood). See, e.g. http://www.schengenspace.com/.

[ciaramc]

Thanks for the replies!

The reason they have a schengen team is because they did sign some parts of the schegùngen agreement! Just not visa and border controls!

And no I get what you mean about the new states I also read this, but I did read about the UK and Ireland in 2008 becoming schengen states! Of course I can't find the link I found that on and also have checked out lots of websirùtes and nothing is mentioned!

Must be wrong! Ah well we can live in hope!

[avjones]

I've not heard that, and think it MOST unlikely, to be honest.

[Richard66]

The UK and Ireland will join Schengen when they realise their attitude is not very constructive, that it damages the UK and Ireland more than it damages the rest of Europe and that soon the great majority of the countries of Europe will be part of the Schengen agreement and the British Isles will be... well... isolated!

[joesoap101]

And Ireland is not joining Schengen because the UK is not joining. Perhaps the UK and Ireland will start implementing the Schengen Information System (SIS) in 2008?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schengen_I ... ion_System

[archigabe]

The UK and Ireland will join Schengen when they realise their attitude is not very constructive, that it damages the UK and Ireland more than it damages the rest of Europe and that soon the great majority of the countries of Europe will be part of the Schengen agreement and the British Isles will be... well... isolated!

There's deep historical and psychological issues about why the UK would be reluctant to make themselves subservient to a union presided over in the major part by Germany and France.

[JAJ]

The UK and Ireland will join Schengen when they realise their attitude is not very constructive, that it damages the UK and Ireland more than it damages the rest of Europe and that soon the great majority of the countries of Europe will be part of the Schengen agreement and the British Isles will be... well... isolated!

Most British citizens don't mind being isolated from the Continent (Channel was put there for a reason etc).

[Richard66]

When it starts damaging the economy they will, you bet!

[Richard66]

I am a firm believer that if the UK joined fully the EU it would be the prime mover, before Germany and France. After all, the UK always was a player in the Continent and managed, among other things, to ensure general peace from 1815 to 1914. They would never manage that today with this attitude.

[JAJ]

I am a firm believer that if the UK joined fully the EU it would be the prime mover, before Germany and France.

I would suggest that the majority of British citizens take the opposite view.

[magsi23]

Thanks for the replies!

The reason they have a schengen team is because they did sign some parts of the schegùngen agreement! Just not visa and border controls!

Thats right, Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom only take part in the police co-operation measures and not the common border control and visa provisions

[Richard66]

I seem to remember seeing (on the site of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office) that most British citizens seem to believe EU directives specify the shape of bananas.