Firstly, a full questionnaire was forwarded to the Nordic States, whose replies were recorded. Then, verification and evaluation visits were made to all the Nordic States in accordance with the procedures applicable within the Council, in the areas of police cooperation and data protection. On 29 May 2000 the Council concluded that the conditions in these areas had been fulfilled. As regards the application of the Schengen acquis relating to visas and consular cooperation, the visits demonstrated that, except for some points which the Nordic States will undertake to deal with, the requirements relating to legislation, manpower levels, training, infrastructure and material resources had been satisfied. They revealed that a positive record of progress achieved could be drawn up.
Some gaps do, however, remain.
It is therefore necessary to conduct further evaluation visits. The Nordic States have satisfied the obligations of Article 114 of the said implementing Convention. The Council should ensure that an arrangement on criteria and mechanisms for establishing the State responsible for examining a request for asylum lodged in any of the Member States or in Iceland or Norway, as mentioned in Article 7 of the Agreement of 18 May 1999, is set up in due course. Unless the Council establishes, on conclusion of the evaluation visits to be carried out after 1 January 2001, that the SIS does not function correctly in one or more of the Nordic States, or that the ports and airports in those countries do not fulfil all the necessary requirements, the entire Schengen acquis will have to be applied with regard to these States as from 25 March 2001. Article 2 1.