Border boredom - how soon can central Europe join Schengen and avoid those long border queues...

Much of Europe enjoys border free travel. Thanks to what's known as the Schengen agreement, there are no passport or customs checks for travellers between most different European Union member states. But the enlargement of the EU to take in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Poland - will not mean immediate border free travel. In fact it could be some years before a trip from Prague to Vienna doesn't require patience and passports.

Photo: European Commission

First longer and longer lines for Czechs at border crossings with Austria and Germany; now change within sight, as the Czech Republic stands poised for EU accession in 2004. Barring a negative result in a national referendum, Czechs may soon find themselves in a brand new world, sharing a common border in an expanded union of states, open to much freer to travel. For many Czech students and young professionals in Prague, this is a Europe they want to see.

Young man: "Indeed I think we have no other chance, when Europe gets united we cannot stay away. And about the travelling, I think it will be much easier."

Young woman: "Personally I never had problems going to Germany or Austria. You have to wait in queues on the borders but I've never had any problems with them not letting me in or searching my car or something."

Young woman: "I think that travelling will be easier but now it's a problem. To England it's difficult because there are a lot of controls."

Young woman: "The Czech Republic as a country will gain quite some benefits from it, to travel and to meet other cultures and see how things work in other countries of the European Union, and it will be quite a big thing for Czechs."

On the other hand many responses to EU integration are far from positive, freer travel or not. Some say becoming part of the union is not worth it at any cost.

Older man: "I don't like the idea of joining the EU - we'll have to listen to whatever they'll dictate, we'll have to listen. I don't like the idea of that at all."

Officials at the Czech Foreign Ministry point out there will be a time in which Czechs and other new members will be subjected to more controls than nationals from existing EU countries. The reason: it will take time, training and resources before the Czech Republic and other new member states implement important changes, bringing new security to new external borders. This to meet standards and norms of the Schengen Agreement which the Czech Republic hopes to sign by 2006. Until then internal borders will remain temporarily in effect, although less strict than before. Czechs will feel the difference says Jana Rejnisova, an official at the Czech Foreign Ministry.

"It will be easier because there will not be queries about the amount of money you're carrying with you or the purpose of the stay. There will be no necessity of any visa, even if you want to stay in the country for a longer time than three months."