Brussels, 11/12/2008 (Agence Europe) - On 12 December 2008 at midnight, Switzerland became a part of the Schengen Area. It is the 25th country and the 3rd non-EU member state after Iceland and Norway to enter the European area of free movement. Systematic checks on persons at Swiss border crossings are now a thing of the past. Nonetheless, as Switzerland belongs neither to the European Union nor to any other customs union, customs provisions remain in force and there are still customs inspections. In airports, the abolition of controls on persons for flights within the Schengen Area will not take effect until 29 March 2009, when flight times change. Switzerland has had to temporarily secure its 41 km long border with Liechtenstein, which hopes to enter the Schengen Area in 2009. (B.C./transl.jl)