Schengen zone will not open to new EU ten in 2007

Plans to expand the Schengen zone to include the Czech Republic and the other nine states which joined the EU two years ago will definitely not be fulfilled in 2007. A spokesman for the European Commission confirmed the news in Brussels on Monday, saying that technical difficulties with establishing a central database are to blame for the delay. The Schengen Information System II will store biometric data, including digital files and finger prints, but the database is experiencing difficulties that will stall its implementation. EU foreign ministers are due to discuss the issue at their October meeting. The EU Commission expects that borders should be opened to the newest members in October 2008 or later - not October 2007 as originally planned.