Article 4(2) of the Act of Accession of Croatia provides that the provisions of the Schengen acquis not referred to in Article 4(1) of that Act, shall only apply in Croatia pursuant to a Council decision to that effect, after verification, in accordance with the applicable Schengen evaluation procedures, that the necessary conditions for the application of all parts of the relevant acquis have been met in Croatia, including the effective application of all Schengen rules in accordance with the agreed common standards and with fundamental principles.
(2)
The applicable Schengen evaluation procedures are set out in Council Regulation (EU) No 1053/2013 (2).
(3)
The Schengen evaluation relating to data protection was carried out in Croatia in February 2016. The Commission adopted, by means of an implementing decision, an evaluation report confirming that the necessary conditions for the application of the Schengen acquis relating to data protection have been met in Croatia.
(4)
In accordance with Article 1(1) of Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2015/450 (3) it has been verified that, from a technical point of view, the Croatian national system (N.SIS) is ready to integrate into the Schengen Information System (‘SIS’).
(5)
Croatia thus having made the necessary technical and legal arrangements to process SIS data and exchange supplementary information, it is now possible for the Council to set the date from which the Schengen acquis relating to the SIS shall apply in Croatia.
(6)
The entry into force of this Decision should allow for SIS data to be transferred to Croatia. The concrete use of these data should allow the Commission to verify the correct application of the provisions of the Schengen acquis relating to of the SIS in Croatia. Once it has been verified that the necessary conditions for the application of all parts of the Schengen acquis have been met in Croatia, the Council should decide on the lifting of checks at the internal borders.
(7)
A separate Council Decision should be adopted setting a date for the lifting of checks at internal borders with Croatia. Until the date set out in that Decision, certain restrictions on the use of the SIS in Croatia should be imposed.
(8)
As regards Iceland and Norway, this Decision constitutes a development of the provisions of the Schengen acquis within the meaning of the 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 (4) which fall within the area referred to in point G of Article 1 of Council Decision 1999/437/EC (5).
(9)
As regards Switzerland, this Decision constitutes a development of the provisions of the Schengen acquis within the meaning of the Agreement between the European Union, the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on the Swiss Confederation's association with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis (6) which fall within the area referred to in point G of Article 1 of Decision 1999/437/EC read in conjunction with Article 3 of Council Decision 2008/146/EC (7) and with Article 3 of Council Decision 2008/149/JHA (8).
(10)
As regards Liechtenstein, this Decision constitutes a development of the provisions of the Schengen acquis within the meaning of the Protocol between the European Union, the European Community, the Swiss Confederation and the Principality of Liechtenstein on the accession of the Principality of Liechtenstein to the Agreement between the European Union, the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on the Swiss Confederation's association with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis (9) which fall within the area referred to in point G of Article 1 of Decision 1999/437/EC read in conjunction with Article 3 of Council Decision 2011/349/EU (10) and Article 3 of Council Decision 2011/350/EU (11),
