2.6 REGULATIONS AND CONDITIONS OF TRAVEL IN THE CBSS COUNTRIES

As mentioned in the 1995-1996 annual report, I initiated a survey of the member states' fulfilment of specific commitments assumed under basic OSCE documents, i.e. the Budapest Document, the Vienna Document and the Moscow and Copenhagen Human Dimension Documents on conditions for travel and movement of people across national borders.

I asked Governments to provide information on both legislation and practice in various fields regarding this topic and I have received material from several countries.

Since there is some uncertainty as to whether some countries will accede to the Schengen agreement and how it will actually be implemented in practice, I decided not to finalize the report until receiving sufficient clarification on these points.

In the meantime, I have followed developments concerning the implementation of the Schengen agreement, holding meetings with, inter alia, the Danish Ministry of the Interior and a representative of the Danish Police Commissioner.

The Schengen agreement is currently under debate in national Parliaments, which will then decide whether or not to ratify it. When this has taken place and the requisite administrative regulations reviewed, the survey will be resumed.