Glossary |
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| Term | Definition |
| Schengen Agreement | An agreement by several European countries to abstain from checking passenger traffic at their internal borders, as well as establishing a joint external border. Countries that have already implemented the Schengen Agreement: * Belgium (26 March 1995) * France (26 March 1995) * Germany (26 March 1995) * Luxembourg (26 March 1995) * Netherlands (26 March 1996) * Portugal (26 March 1995) * Spain (26 March 1995) * Italy (26 October 1997) * Austria (1 December 1997) * Greece (26 March 2000) * Denmark (25 March 2001) * Finland (25 March 2001) * Iceland (25 March 2001) * Norway (25 March 2001) * Sweden (25 March 2001) Countries who signed the Schengen Agreement on 1 May 2004 are set to implement it between 31 December 2007 and 29 March 2008: * Czech Republic * Estonia * Hungary * Latvia * Lithuania * Malta * Poland * Slovakia * Slovenia Signatories yet to implement the agreement: * Cyprus * Switzerland EU members not to join the Schengen Agreement: * Ireland * United Kingdom |
| Schengen Information System (SIS) | A database which continuously compares the contents of the national SIS-compatible databases of all Schengen Agreement states. Currently, 13 EU member states, along with Iceland and Norway, use the SIS. The respective ministries of the interior operate the national SIS. It stores data related to the outer border controls or ?upstream border controls? in the area behind the border. The information is available to all Schengen Agreement states. The following information is stored as text: * Individuals who have received a residence ban; * Stolen objects; * Stolen or lost documents. |
| Schengen Information System II (SIS II) | The successor of SIS which can also store additional information such as graphic data, and enables extended search functions. Its data is used to check individuals at the outer borders of the EU or in the respective national territories and to issue visas and residence permits, as well as for co-operation between the police and judiciary in criminal matters. There are still discussions whether to include biometric data in SIS II or not. Operation of SIS II will start with some delay. |
| Seafarer ID | A travel document for seafarers introduced by the International Maritime Organisation which, in countries that have ratified the ICAO Convention, permits holders to go on land without a visa and to enter the community adjacent to the port of call. |
| Secondary Inspection | Thorough inspection based on sample checks or concrete suspicion from the primary inspection. If there is doubt as to whether a document is authentic or if verification with ePassport failed or was positive with a watchlist, or the traveller was identified on a watchlist, the individual is searched for on different databases. |
| Swipe Reader | A document reader which can only read the Machine Readable Zone (MRZ). To do this the MRZ of the ID document must be swiped through the device?s reading slot. |
