Article 1
1
All the provisions referred to in Annexes A and B to the Agreement and any act constituting a further development of one or more of these provisions, shall apply to the Swiss Confederation, in its relations with Kingdom of Belgium, the Czech Republic, the Kingdom of Denmark, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Republic of Estonia, the Hellenic Republic, the Kingdom of Spain, the French Republic, the Italian Republic, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Poland, the Portuguese Republic, the Republic of Slovenia, the Slovak Republic, the Republic of Finland, and the Kingdom of Sweden as from 12 December 2008.
To the extent that those provisions regulate the abolition of checks on persons at internal borders, they shall apply as from 29 March 2009 to air borders. The Council may decide to defer this date, acting by a simple majority of the Members of the Council representing the governments of the Member States to which the provisions of the Schengen acquis regulating the abolition of checks on persons at internal borders apply. In that case, a new date shall be set by the Council, acting by unanimity of those Members.
All restrictions on the use of the Schengen Information System by the Member States concerned shall be lifted as from 8 December 2008.
2
The provisions of the Schengen acquis put into effect by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on the basis of Article 1 of Decision 2004/926/EC and any act constituting a further development of one or more of those provisions, shall apply to the Swiss Confederation, in its relations with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as from 12 December 2008.
3
The provisions of the Schengen acquis applicable to Cyprus on the one hand, and Bulgaria and Romania on the other on the basis of Article 3(1) of the 2003 Act of Accession and Article 4(1) of the 2005 Act of Accession respectively and any act constituting a further development of one or more of those provisions, shall apply to the Swiss Confederation, in its relations with Cyprus, Bulgaria and Romania as from 12 December 2008.
Article 2
By way of derogation to Annex II of Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 of 15 March 2001 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement8, Switzerland is authorised to maintain the visa exemption for Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados and Saint Kitts and Nevis from 12 December 2008 until the entry into force of the visa waiver agreements between the European Community and each of these countries.
Article 3
This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Done at Brussels, 27 November 2008.
For the Council
The President
M. Alliot-Marie