Schengen to expand but Cyprus is still out

The Schengen zone, where citizens and tourists travel without passports is set to expand on December 21 to include new member states, but not Cyprus, which is expected to join in 2009.

The Schengen zone, named for the wine-making town in Luxembourg where the agreement was signed in 1985, currently allows unhindered travel between 13 western EU countries plus the non-EU states of Norway and Iceland. The U.K. and Ireland, both EU members, have opted out of the program.

The zone makes it easier for EU citizens to travel and spend freely. This month’s expansion, the largest since Schengen was conceived, will allow free road, rail and sea travel between older EU nations and the ex-communist members — Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Estonia, Latvia and Slovenia — plus Malta, all of which joined in 2004. Unfettered air travel begins at the end of March.

Cyprus, which also became an EU member three years ago, is working to join Schengen in 2009 along with non-EU-member Switzerland. Romania and Bulgaria may be accepted in 2011.