Romania and Bulgaria partially joined Europe’s ID-check-free travel zone on March 31, marking a new step in the two countries’ integration with the European Union.
This means free access for travelers arriving by air or sea. Land border checks will remain in place, however, due to opposition primarily from Austria over illegal migration concerns.
It is “an important first step” that will benefit millions of travelers annually, Siegfried Muresan, a Romanian Member of the European Parliament, told AP.
Romania and Bulgaria partially joined the rest of the bloc’s members in the visa-free Schengen zone in March 2024 more than a decade after joining the EU in 2007. Even Croatia, which joined the bloc after Romania and Bulgaria, was accepted fully into the Schengen area in January last year.
“Well-deserved achievement”
Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu called the integration a “well-deserved achievement” for Romania that he said will benefit citizens who can travel more easily and will bolster the economy. “We have a clear and firmly assumed government plan for full accession to the Schengen Area by the end of the year,” he said.
“Bulgaria’s full accession to Schengen will happen by the end of 2024,” Kalin Stoyanov, Bulgaria’s interior minister, said. “We showed and continue to show to illegal migrants that they should not take the road to Europe through Bulgaria.”
Both countries have agreed to implement random security screening at airports and maritime borders to combat illegal migration, cross-border crime and combat human trafficking.
“Historic moment”
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hailed the change as a “huge success for both countries” and a “historic moment” for what is the world’s largest free travel zone.
Welcoming Bulgaria and Romania to the Schengen family, she said: “Together, we are building a stronger, more united Europe for all our citizens.”
Margaritis Schinas, Vice-President for Promoting our European Way of Life, congratulated both countries on the achievement. “Romania and Bulgaria’s accession makes Schengen stronger – fortifying this ‘crown jewel’ so emblematic of our European way of life, to the benefit of the internal market, our economies and European citizens everywhere.”
Ylva Johansson, EU Commissioner for Home Affairs, said that integration of Bulgaria and Romania into the Schengen zone would make the EU stronger and make travel easier for millions. “Today internal border controls will be lifted at air borders and sea borders. Next step is lifting checks also at internal land borders. Discussion in Council will continue this year. And I promise this is the priority for the end of my mandate,” Johansson said.
Schengen Zone
The Schengen Area was created in 1995 following the signing of the Schengen Agreement 10 years earlier between five member states of the European Economic Community: Germany, Belgium, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.