Brussels, 13/07/2007 (Agence Europe) - The planned extension of the Schengen Area, normally due for December this year, is threatened by the lack of preparedness of several member states that already benefit from the lifting of border controls, Czech Interior Minister Ivan Langer said on Thursday, as reported by CTK. The Czech Republic must integrate the area without borders with eight other new EU member states (Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia) at the end of December 2007. Controls at international airports will be lifted in March 2008 (EUROPE 9444). A recent assessment has shown that nine EU and non-EU countries (Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Finland, Norway, Iceland, Italy, Greece and the Netherlands) have failed the test for adoption of SIS One4All, the instrument essential for effectively removing borders. Mr Langer said that this information had been confirmed by the vice-president of the European Commission, Franco Frattini. Mr Langer is also said to have called on Mr Frattini and on the Portuguese minister of the interior, whose country currently holds EU presidency, to urge states lagging behind to immediately bring in the new system according to the timetable set, so that the Schengen Area may enlarge in due course. (bc)