Originally Posted by
Shorrick Mk2
At the risk of diverging from the thread - you may. The only thing left out is customs
I think you mean, apart from (referring to Schengen Convention 1990):
- Article 2(4) on controls on goods
- Article 4, as far as controls on baggage are concerned
- Article 10(2)
- Article 19(2)
- Articles 28 to 38 and related definitions
- Article 60
- Article 70
- Article 74
- Articles 77 to 91 insofar as they are covered by Council Directive 91/477/EEC of 18 June 1991 on control of the acquisition and possession of weapons
- Articles 120 to 125 on the movement of goods
- Articles 131 to 133
- Article 134
- Articles 139 to 142
Note how the first two are especially relevant, as they provide a justification for continued border controls (for "customs purposes only"
). In practice, that means that yes, you can cross the border freely... as long as you are on foot and naked.
- we are not part of the Schengen customs area.
See above. My guess is this was the excuse used to con a few extra Francs out of Timothy.
Immigration for all purposes - we are part of Schengen.
Not when it comes to refugees and a bunch of other details.
Switzerland can deliver Schengen visas, and can bar individuals from entering the EU (as it did with a few Lybian dignitaries a while ago much to the displeasure of the EU, that ironically is now busy bombing said dignitaries).
Would that be the same individuals Switzerland ended up apologising to and paying compensation for having the audacity to attempt a prosecution? There are bigger/better thieves than you, granted.
Any EU citizen can walk straight in and take up employment the next day.
And this is the subject of a separate, pre-existing agreement.
There are no systematic border police checks on intra-schengen travels.
I'll try to keep that in mind next time I take the A40 to GVA. If they're not police they must be impostors then.
Just to quote a couple of passages from that:
The same but different:
Switzerland possesses two special features compared to all other Schengen countries:
the customs border and thereby the goods controls continue to exist.
Customs officers and border police are one and the same.
This means that our synergy-rich customs system will be retained and within the scope of customs controls will check the identity of people in future as well.
Honest, we're not checking you, just the goods you are carrying in your pockets:
A customs check remains a customs check even if on the occasion of a customs check involving people for reasons to do with staff safety or in connection with carrying out customs duties, identity papers are examined and queries are activated via the information system. This will not become a people check, it is and remains a customs check.
...and then we'll shaft you regardless:
However, should, within the scope of a customs control, police suspicions become evident then it may turn into a "people check involving an initial suspicion". Independently of a customs control, in the case of an initial suspicion by the police, at any moment a people check may be carried out at the border crossing.
Their own conclusions, not mine (but my emphasis):
Conclusion
With Schengen a new dimension has been added to the job of the border guard - it has become more varied, more flexible and more demanding.
Working at the border crossing, with mobile units, train controls, train station controls and airport controls all enrich the scope of duties of the border guards. The border guards and thereby the Border Guard Corps will be even more involved in national and international security cooperation.
Then they get a bit confused. They say:
Today there is scarcely anything to be got from systematic controls with the high traffic volume.
And right on the next paragraph:
The Border Guard Corps must operate systematically
And finally (again emphasis mine):
What are the consequences of this for the Border Guard Corps?
* Activities and Border Guard Corps strategies will change little
* Border infrastructure will remain
* Responsibility for the police forces remains with the cantons
* Cooperation with external partners but above all with internal partners, in particular the cantons is to be intensified.
* Switzerland as a special case due to not being a member of the customs union = goods checks remain. This fact provides many advantages.
* More security thanks to information (Schengen Information System [SIS]) and corresponding intervention potential (Border Guard Corps).
So much for "borderless travel", eh?