border checks between EU countries
Nov 6, 2007, 4:45 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2001
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Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8100/4.2.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)
I thought all border checks between EU countries had been removed.
I was surprised when they briefly checked our passports between France and Spain.
No one checked between italy and France.
So what's the deal?
I thought all border checks between EU countries had been removed.
I was surprised when they briefly checked our passports between France and Spain.
No one checked between italy and France.
So what's the deal?
Nov 6, 2007, 5:00 am
#2
Moderator: UK and Ireland & Europe
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Biggleswade
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No.
Immigration checks between Schengen signatories (see here) - which includes some non-EU countries too - aren't mandatory, but can be implemented whenever one of the states wants to.
As regards customs between EU states, you can only be stopped on suspicion of carrying something illegal, not for declaration of goods/duty etc (with some notable exceptions as regards tobacco, alcohol and new member states).
Many countries also have laws which mandate ID being carried on you.
Immigration checks between Schengen signatories (see here) - which includes some non-EU countries too - aren't mandatory, but can be implemented whenever one of the states wants to.
As regards customs between EU states, you can only be stopped on suspicion of carrying something illegal, not for declaration of goods/duty etc (with some notable exceptions as regards tobacco, alcohol and new member states).
Many countries also have laws which mandate ID being carried on you.
Nov 6, 2007, 5:19 am
#3
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,047
Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. This past summer we drove from France into Switzerland with our son who was sporting a big beard and we were stopped for IDs. I think they probably thought we had picked up a hitch-hiker LOL. BTW ~ we all have EU passports.
Nov 6, 2007, 5:37 am
#4
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,919
They have not been done away with compeltely but are rather sporadic now. Some events like the soccer world cup also allow the EU country to close its borders and temporarily put Shengen "out of order" In this case it was to filter the hooligans. Every Shengen country is allowed to do checks when and if it has reason to do so.
Nov 6, 2007, 5:52 am
#5
Moderator: Flying Blue (Air France & KLM), France and TravelBuzz!
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Switzerland had not implemented the Schengen provisions last summer. Unless I am mistaken, these provisions should be implemented sometime next year.
Nov 6, 2007, 6:03 am
#6
Join Date: Mar 2006
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All in all a painless process, but it will be nice when they are part of Schengen.
Nov 6, 2007, 6:05 am
#7
Join Date: Nov 2000
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They have not been done away with compeltely but are rather sporadic now. Some events like the soccer world cup also allow the EU country to close its borders and temporarily put Shengen "out of order" In this case it was to filter the hooligans. Every Shengen country is allowed to do checks when and if it has reason to do so.
Nov 6, 2007, 6:39 am
#8
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,047
I'm not sure what you're insinuating JOUY, but "I know what I did last summer"! 
We go to France every year for many weeks and always make several excursions into neighbouring countries. Usually we'll just get a wave on, sometimes a peek into the car, but this time they obviously wanted to check.
I've no problem with that.
We go to France every year for many weeks and always make several excursions into neighbouring countries. Usually we'll just get a wave on, sometimes a peek into the car, but this time they obviously wanted to check.
I've no problem with that.
Nov 6, 2007, 8:55 am
#9
Moderator: Flying Blue (Air France & KLM), France and TravelBuzz!
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I'm not sure what you're insinuating JOUY, but "I know what I did last summer"!
We go to France every year for many weeks and always make several excursions into neighbouring countries. Usually we'll just get a wave on, sometimes a peek into the car, but this time they obviously wanted to check.
I've no problem with that.
We go to France every year for many weeks and always make several excursions into neighbouring countries. Usually we'll just get a wave on, sometimes a peek into the car, but this time they obviously wanted to check.
I've no problem with that.
). Just stating that, although Switzerland has signed the bi-lateral agreement implementing the Schengen provisions, there is a deadline for implementing it and it should be sometime in 2008, unless I am mistaken. Hopefully, it will come soon, although I will miss the dual immigration check in GVA airport and the immigration check at Geneva Cornavin railway station.As to my personal experience, I have never been stopped at the border crossing near GVA airport, and every single time when crossing from France into Switzerland using the A411.
Nov 6, 2007, 9:13 am
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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By car:
Netherlands to Germany - never stopped.
Germany to Netherlands - never stopped.
Germany to France - never stopped.
Belgium to Netherlands - never stopped.
Netherlands to Belgium - never stopped.
By train:
France to Spain - stopped and passports checked.
France to Belgium - not checked.
Belgium to Netherlands - not checked
Belgium to France - not checked but customs presence on the platform in Paris.
Germany to Netherlands - not checked but customs presence in Amsterdam.
By plane:
always checked (except once at FRA, go figure) but I'm not sure how much was immigration and how much was security.
Netherlands to Germany - never stopped.
Germany to Netherlands - never stopped.
Germany to France - never stopped.
Belgium to Netherlands - never stopped.
Netherlands to Belgium - never stopped.
By train:
France to Spain - stopped and passports checked.
France to Belgium - not checked.
Belgium to Netherlands - not checked
Belgium to France - not checked but customs presence on the platform in Paris.
Germany to Netherlands - not checked but customs presence in Amsterdam.
By plane:
always checked (except once at FRA, go figure) but I'm not sure how much was immigration and how much was security.
Nov 6, 2007, 9:28 am
#11
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Nov 6, 2007, 5:28 pm
#13
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Not insinuating anything (I don't work for French customs or border police ). Just stating that, although Switzerland has signed the bi-lateral agreement implementing the Schengen provisions, there is a deadline for implementing it and it should be sometime in 2008, unless I am mistaken. Hopefully, it will come soon, although I will miss the dual immigration check in GVA airport and the immigration check at Geneva Cornavin railway station.
). Just stating that, although Switzerland has signed the bi-lateral agreement implementing the Schengen provisions, there is a deadline for implementing it and it should be sometime in 2008, unless I am mistaken. Hopefully, it will come soon, although I will miss the dual immigration check in GVA airport and the immigration check at Geneva Cornavin railway station.Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Malta are live this coming Dec. 21st by surface transport and then around March 2008 for flights.
Nov 7, 2007, 1:04 pm
#14
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Naples, Florida
Posts: 7,419
There are some/sometimes exceptions, when/where people get checked:
-Germany to Luxembourg - money, tax evasion
-Germany to Switzerland - money, tax evasion
-Before events (soccer play, etc.) - to catch hooligans