IRISH fears of being excluded from talks designed to remove internal European Union border controls were allayed yesterday after new proposals were put forward for discussion at the Intergovernmental Conference.
EU foreign ministers met in Brussels to discuss incorporating the Schengen Treaty on passport free travel within the EU into new Treaty proposals being fashioned by the IGC.
A majority of member states wish to incorporate Schengen but they are also willing to grant an "opt out" to Ireland and Britain, the two member states which have not already signed up to Schengen.
However, Irish diplomats feared that structures being proposed only last week by the Dutch Presidency were likely to push the two countries too far out into the periphery of decision making.
In a compromise move yesterday, the Dutch appeared to accept that instead of incorporating the whole of Schengen into the new EU Treaty it would be more acceptable to create new structures, involving the Commission and the Court of Justice, in which all 15 member states could collaborate on a wide range of associated measures - from visa and immigration policy to police and customs co operation. Those who also wished to do so could move ahead in creating a passport free zone.
The UK's continued refusal to consider doing away with its border checks, a position endorsed by the Labour opposition, has left Ireland with little choice. To agree to become part of the present Schengen passport free zone would require putting up checkpoints on the Border with Northern Ireland and reintroducing passport controls at all points of entry.
