The European Commission said in a statement that the decision to admit Bulgaria and Romania to the Schengen zone “will contribute to the development of trade and tourism, as well as the further strengthening of the internal market.” According to Brussels, the expanded zone will strengthen the connection both domestically and internationally.
– This is a historical moment for Bulgaria and Romania. It is also a day of great pride for the citizens of Romania and Bulgaria. Since March, they can freely cross internal sea and air borders without border controls. This is a big step forward for both countries and for the entire Schengen area, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized.
Bulgaria and Romania's road to the Schengen area
The Commission first confirmed in 2011 the willingness of Bulgaria and Romania to join the Schengen area without internal border controls. “Since then, Bulgaria and Romania have shown that they meet the conditions for joining the Schengen area,” the statement said.
This was confirmed during three missions on the external borders of Bulgaria and Romania in 2022 and 2023. in March of this year. The European Commission has also launched pilot projects with both countries to improve the management of their external borders, strengthen cooperation with neighbors and ensure fast asylum procedures.
Who didn't want to expand?
Brussels recommended that Bulgaria and Romania join the Schengen zone in 2022, but Austria and the Netherlands opposed it. The fear was especially in Austria Increase in the flow of illegal migrants. For its part, the Netherlands claimed that Bulgaria has “unresolved problems with the rule of law”.
Hungary also opposed Bulgaria's entry into the Schengen zone, but in December it backed down after the government in Sofia, under pressure from Budapest, scrapped the transit tax on Russian gas.
A territory in the EU without border control
The Schengen area covers 27 countries and covers more than 4 million km2 with almost 420 million inhabitants. Together with Romania and Bulgaria, the Schengen zone will expand to 4.5 million km2 and will have 450 million inhabitants.
As the European Commission's statement emphasized, this is the ninth enlargement of the Schengen area, which “affirms and strengthens the mutual trust and unity between the Member States on which Schengen is based, and will help to implement this important project”.
Bulgaria and Romania joined the EU in 2007.
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