The signing of the Schengen Agreements and the Schengen zone formed as their result can be duly considered as some of the most important steps in the development of integration processes both within the EU and in Europe as a whole. The forming of the Schengen area dates back to 1985, when the corresponding Agreement on the gradual abolition of checks at common borders of some European countries was signed. At the moment the territory of the European Union and the territory of the Schengen zone cannot be considered as identical. Switzerland is the state situated in the center of Europe that is neither a member of the European Union nor included into the Schengen zone. In spite of this, due to its geographical position Switzerland tends to incorporate its visa policy into the Schengen rules.
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