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1. This Regulation establishes an evaluation and monitoring mechanism for the purpose of ensuring that Member States apply the Schengen acquis effectively, efficiently and correctly, thereby contributing to maintaining mutual trust among Member States and a well-functioning area without internal border control.

2. The evaluation and monitoring mechanism established shall provide for objective and impartial evaluation and monitoring activities aimed at:

(a) verifying the application of the Schengen acquis in the Member States to which it applies in full as well as in Member States to which, in accordance with the relevant Protocols annexed to the TEU and to the TFEU, the Schengen acquis applies in part;

(b) verifying that the necessary conditions for the application of all relevant parts of the Schengen acquis have been met in those Member States in respect of which a Council decision stating that the provisions of the Schengen acquis are to apply in full or in part has not been taken, with the exception of those Member States whose evaluation will already have been completed at the time of entry into force of this Regulation.

3. Evaluations may cover all aspects of the Schengen acquis and take into account the functioning of the authorities that apply the Schengen acquis. Evaluations may cover in particular the following policy areas: management of the external borders, absence of controls at internal borders, visa policy, return, large-scale information systems supporting the application of the Schengen acquis, police cooperation, judicial cooperation in criminal matters and data protection.