Austria renews border controls due to EURO 2008

Austria is getting ready for the EURO 2008 European Football Championships by boosting precautions at its borders with neighboring countries. The Austrian authorities will be temporarily reintroducing border controls in respect of all other Schengen Member States with effect from the 2nd of June until the 1st of July 2008, for both vehicles and pedestrians. During the restored internal border checks people are only allowed to enter Austria at official frontier crossings. They will not be allowed to cross via anything other than the designated passages during their operating hours.

Although the Czech Republic, like Austria, is a member of the Schengen Area, it will nevertheless be necessary for drivers to stop at the border while crossing into Austria during the month of June. Anyone may be asked by the Austrian authorities to produce a piece of official identification. As a result, it will be necessary to have a national identity card or passport available. Children older than five will also have to have their own identification papers, and those younger than five will have to be recorded in their accompanying parent's papers if they don't have their own ID. The aim of such controls is to prevent threats to public order and safety on the occasion of the Championship.