Agreement concluded by the Council of the European Union and the Republic of Iceland and the Kingdom of Norway concerning the latters' association with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis

Together with Sweden, Finland and Denmark, Iceland and Norway belong to the Nordic passport union, which abolished internal border checks. Sweden, Finland and Denmark became members of the Schengen group when they joined the EU. Iceland and Norway have been associated with the development of the agreements since 19 December 1996. Although they did not have voting rights on the Schengen Executive Committee, they were able to express opinions and formulate proposals.

The present agreement was signed between Iceland, Norway and the EU in order to extend that association. These countries continue to participate in the drafting of new legal instruments building on the Schengen acquis. These acts are adopted by the EU Member States alone, but they apply to Iceland and Norway as well.

In practice, this association takes the form of a Joint Committee as an organisational structure outside the institutional framework of the European Union made up of representatives from the Icelandic and Norwegian Governments and members of the EU Council and the Commission. Procedures for notifying and accepting future measures or acts have been laid down.