The European Parliament approved on Thursday the expansion of the Schengen agreement borderless area to nine new member states.

The motion passed with 459 votes in favour, 13 against and 42 abstentions.

"The creation of the Schengen area is one of the greatest EU achievements, characterised by the removal of all controls at the common borders between all the participant states and the introduction of freedom of movement within EU territory," the European Parliament said in a statement.

"MEPs congratulate them on the tremendous efforts in order to be ready and to respect all the Schengen requirements in such a short period of time."

The nine countries are the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. They will implement the agreement for land and sea borders starting from December 21, and for airports from March 29, 2008.

The nine join the existing 16 countries that are part of the area. Switzerland and Liechtenstain will join next year, with Cyprus scheduled to for 2009.

Bulgaria and Romania, who are the latest additions to the EU, having joined in January, will be ready to implement the agreement in 2011.

Of the 27 EU member states, only UK and Ireland have opted against joining the area.

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