The final decision on the expansion of the Schengen Area belongs to the member states and the European Commission (EC) has only a role of observer in this process, a spokesman for the European Union’s executive body declared on Thursday.

“The Schengen evaluation and the final decision on the removal of the internal boundaries are incumbent upon the member states, inside the Council. The European Commission is just an observer in this process. We do not evaluate, we do not make a decision, we do not cast a vote in this process. This is a purely national decision to be adopted unanimously by the member states. At this moment we know that this decision is to be taken by March,” said EC spokesman Olivier Bailly.

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