Il Council of the European Union gave the final go-ahead atRomania and Bulgaria join the Schengen area, starting from January 1, 2025. From this date, the two countries will no longer have to undergo checks on people at the internal land borders with and between Bulgaria and Romania. The decision marks a historic step for European integration, consolidating the world's largest free movement area.
A historic step for Europe
“It is a historic moment, today Romania and Bulgaria are finally entering the Schengen area, and it is a milestone that should be considered among the greatest successes of the European Union, alongside the introduction of the euro and the single market”, he declared. Magnus Bruner, EU Interior Commissioner. The decision marks the end of a long accession path for the two countries, which, despite having been members of the European Union since 2007, had to wait until today to gain full access to the Schengen area.
Sandor Pintér, Hungarian Interior Minister, who currently presides over the EU, stressed the historic importance of the moment: “Finally welcoming Bulgaria and Romania as full members of Schengen is a step that benefits not only the citizens of these countries, but the entire European Union. The abolition of land border controls between the countries of the area was one of the main objectives of the Hungarian Presidency, and today we have achieved this result,” he commented.
The long road to Schengen entry
Since their accession to the European Union, Bulgaria and Romania have progressively applied the Schengen regulations, in particular with regard to controls at external borders, cooperation between police forces anduse of the Schengen Information System (SIS). The abolition of internal border controls, however, was a more complex issue and required several years of negotiations. Already on 30 December 2023, the Council of the European Union had adopted a decision providing for the abolition of internal air and sea border controls, with effect from 31 March 2024.
Until a few days ago, theAustria was the only country to oppose entry of Romania and Bulgaria in Schengen, putting a stop to the unanimity required for admission. However, on 9 December 2024, Vienna finally announced his decision to remove the veto. “We will not use our veto,” a spokesman for the Austrian Interior Ministry said following a meeting in Brussels that ratified the removal of the obstacles. And so today’s green light marked the end of the long wait for the two countries.
Schengen: the world's largest free movement area
The Schengen system is today the largest free movement area in the world, comprising 29 Countries, including 25 Member States of the European Union, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. With the accession of Romania and Bulgaria, the Schengen area will now cover a total of approximately 420 million citizens, who will be able to travel without internal border controls. The creation of Schengen, which took place in 1985 with the abolition of controls between France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, is a symbol of European cooperation and the construction of a more united Europe. Not all borders have been completely opened. The Internal border controls with Cyprus have not yet been eliminated, and theIreland has chosen not to join the Schengen area, while maintaining its own system of border controls.
