(PRAGUE) - Interior ministers and officials from 18 EU countries met in an upbeat mood Friday fuelled by the firm conviction that the EU's border-free Schengen zone will soon double in size with the inclusion of nine new member states.

That confidence was boosted by news from Brussels that a key committee evaluating the preparations of Malta and eight Central and East European countries had given them the all clear.

"Today in Brussels the Schengen evaluation committee concluded that the nine states are prepared, each of them have all the requirements for the Schengen system to be enlarged," enthused Portuguese Interior Minister Jose Magalhaes.

"Europe will become like the US with no borders. This is an historical event," said his German counterpart, Wolfgang Schaeuble.

Testing of the computer system allowing information to be swapped between national ministries and police forces between existing Schengen states and prospective members had already resulted in 5,848 "positive hits" helping to identify wanted persons and stolen goods, Czech Interior Minister Ivan Langer announced.

"This clearly shows that the two fundamental values, freedom and security, have been fulfilled," he added.

Concerns about the possibility of extending the crucial data sharing system and ability of the new members to seal their borders with non-EU countries led to doubts only 12 months ago whether the Schengen zone would be widened by the end of 2007 target date.

In spite of the latest euphoria, a final decision to open up the land borders of existing members on December 21 and passenger traffic through airports on March 31, 2008 will have to be taken by EU ministers meeting in Brussels on November 8 and 9, with European parliament lawmakers also having to clear the decision.

Magalhaes said the new Schengen members in waiting are already preparing for "the day after" at the two-day Prague meeting.

This includes preparations for stepped up interior police checks within the seamless passport-free 18-country area and tougher controls on what will become the zone's external border.

The Schengen zone is currently made up of Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden as well as non-EU members Iceland and Norway.

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