According to reports, the French Embassy in Manila has belied rumours circulating on social media that it has temporarily cancelled its participation in the Schengen agreement after the terror attacks in Paris last week.

The news went viral that France would suspend its Schengen agreement for a month starting 13 November, 2015. The reports stated that the decision was made as a precaution against attacks or public disorder prior to the United Nations Conference on Climate Change.

Port Vauban in Antibes, France

The Schengen visa allows non-EU members to visit, remain and work in France and, as such, the alleged news had provoked particular concerns in the superyacht industry, with many superyacht crew, owners and charter clients relying on the scheme to travel and work freely in the region.

But reports dispel these fears and state that Camille Conde of the French Embassy in Manila said that there was no announcement made by the French government regarding the cancellation of Schengen visas.

The Schengen zone currently has 26 members, including most EU members and four non-EU members. The idea behind the agreement is that the citizens of Schengen countries can access any country without the need to go through border controls. It also allows tourists to travel across the Schengen zone with one common visa, which has proved very beneficial to the superyacht charter market and crew sector.

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