15/11/2007 (Agence Europe) - By a resounding majority in Strasbourg on Thursday 15 November, the European Parliament adopted a report by Carlos Coelho (EPP-ED, Portugal) assessing the application of the Schengen rules in nine new EU member states (Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and the Czech Republic). The EP says some areas need to be monitored but they should not prove an obstacle to the lifting of borders within the EU with the nine countries in question. Alongside the report, the MEPs adopted a common resolution of the EPP-ED, PES, ALDE, Greens/EFA and UEN groups on the Schengen rules. Europe will be returning to this. (O.L.)