"Joining the Schengen zone is no easy feat explains the deputy president of the EU Commission, Franco Frattini, who closely followed the preparations, especially in terms of border security -. We have to appreciate the huge work done by these member states. All of the new Schengen countries have developed advanced security systems" at their borders. According to the Commission’s experts, with this provision for the extension of the Schengen zone (the first agreements date back to 1985), tourism is expected to grow, with a positive impact on the infrastructures", and "the earlier extensions have proven that. For instance, at the border between Salzburg and Berchtesgaden, the citizens can benefit from infrastructures located on both sides of the border, including a huge shopping centre on the Austrian side and a spa on the German side". "Removing internal border checks is also a matter of mutual trust between the member states. Through a strict peer assessment process, the member states ensure each of them is well equipped to check the external borders in the name of all the others and issue visas that apply to all the Schengen zone".
