Britain, Ireland and Schengen

Time for a Smarter Bargain on Visas

Given Britain’s desire to maintain its own border controls, it will not join the EU’s passport-free ‘Schengen’ area in the foreseeable future. Ireland also has to stay out because it shares a common travel area with the UK. But there is now mounting evidence that this situation hurts tourism and businesses in Britain and Ireland. This problem could be overcome if Britain, Ireland and the Schengen countries would agree on ‘mutual recognition’ of the visas they issue, without the UK or Ireland having to scrap their border controls.

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