Romanian President Klaus Iohannis announced that EU ambassadors have agreed to grant Romania full membership in the Schengen Area starting January 1, 2025.
Previously, the Netherlands and Austria had blocked Bulgaria’s accession to Schengen. The Netherlands cited concerns over Bulgaria’s insufficient efforts to fight corruption, while Austria criticized the country’s inability to curb illegal migration. Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu had earlier assured that Romania would join Schengen by April.
The EU Council is expected to formally approve Romania’s full integration into Schengen at its meeting on December 12.
Under the current decision, Romania and Bulgaria became part of the Schengen Area as of March 31, but border control is only lifted at sea and air borders, with land border controls still in place. A new decision by the EU Council, which must be unanimous, will determine when land border controls between Romania, Bulgaria, and other Schengen countries will be abolished.
Earlier reports indicated that further integration of Romania and Bulgaria into the Schengen Area would depend on their efforts to combat illegal migration. Specifically, both countries must handle migrants who enter the EU via their borders, rather than allowing them to pass through to other states.
