5.12.2008 Official Journal of the European Union L 32715 (Acts adopted under the EC Treaty/Euratom Treaty whose publication is not obligatory) DECISIONS COUNCIL COUNCIL DECISION of 27 November 2008 on the full application of the provisions of the Schengen acquis in the Swiss Confederation (2008/903/EC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Agreement between the European Union, the European Community and the Swiss Confederation concerning the Swiss Confederation’s association with the im- plementation, application, and development of the Schengen acquis (hereinafter referred to as the Agreement) (1), which was signed on 26 October 2004 () and entered into force on 1 March 2008 (}), and in particular Article 15(1) thereof, Whereas: (1)  Article 15(1) of the Agreement provides that the provisions of the Schengen acquis shall apply in the Swiss Confederation only pursuant to a Council Decision to that effect after verification that the necessary conditions for the application of that acquis have been met. (2)  The Council, having verified that the necessary conditions for the application of the data protection part of the Schengen acquis concerned had been met by the Swiss Confederation, rendered, by its Decision 2008/421/EC (¥, the provisions of the Schengen acquis related to the () O] L 53, 27.2.2008, p. 52. (%) Council Decisions 2004/849/EC (O] L 368, 15.12.2004, p. 26) and 2004/860/EC (O] L 370, 17.12.2004, p. 78). (}) Council Decisions 2008/146/EC (O] L 53, 27.2.2008, p. 1) and 2008/149JHA (O] L 53, 27.2.2008, p. 50). () O] L 149, 7.6.2008, p. 74. Schengen Information System applicable to the Swiss Confederation from 14 August 2008. (3)  The Council has verified, in accordance with the applicable Schengen evaluation procedures as set out in the Decision of the Executive Committee of 16 September 1998 setting up a Standing Committee on the evaluation and implementation of Schengen (SCH/Com-ex (98) 26 def) (°), that the necessary conditions for the application of the Schengen acquis have been met in other areas of the Schengen acquis — Land Borders, Police Cooperation, the Schengen Infor- mation System, and Visas — in the Swiss Confederation. (4 On 27 November 2008, the Council concluded that the conditions in each of the areas mentioned had been fulfilled by the Swiss Confederation. (5)  As regards the evaluation and implementation of the Schengen acquis at air borders, further evaluation visits should be carried out at a later stage. (6) It is therefore possible to set dates for the application of the Schengen acquis in full, ie. dates from which checks on persons at the internal borders with the Swiss Confed- eration should be lifted. Were the further evaluation visits at air borders to prove unsuccessful, the date set for the application of the Schengen acquis regulating the abolition of checks on persons at air borders should be reconsidered. () O] L 239, 22.9.2000, p. 138.