Switzerland joined the Schengen area.

On Friday, 12 December, the Swiss authorities closed the border control points with regard to joining the Schengen area, reported Agency France Presse.
Passport control in Switzerland canceled for the citizens of the member countries of Schengen Agreement, which crossed the land border. In the airport passport control will be implemented until 29 March 2009.
  Swiss citizens voted for joining the Schengen zone in a referendum in 2005. Now the owner of the Schengen visa can freely travel to 25 countries that signed the Schengen Agreement of 1985.
Reported that Swiss border guards checking visitors with Schengen visas, entering the country on motor vehicles, shall inspect the baggage only, without carrying out with the passport control.
Spokesman of the Border Service of Switzerland Artsehauzer Hans (Hans Arzethauser) agency explained that soon the country will also have access to a database of European Union criminals. "Before, Switzerland was considered to be" an island of safety "for offenders. Access to the base of the EU will allow us to identify people declared wanted, stolen cars, as well as refugees" - said the official.
  Together with the accession to the Schengen zone of Switzerland is also beginning to implement the Dublin agreement, under which member states must ensure that refugees are not requested asylum in several countries simultaneously.
It should be noted that Switzerland, like Norway and Iceland are part of the Schengen zone, while not a member of the EU.
In turn, Interfax reported that the Embassy of Switzerland in Moscow on 15 December will be issued only Schengen visa.