Romania and Bulgaria partially joined Europe's identity verification-free travel zone on Sunday, marking a new step in the two countries' integration with the European Union.
After years of negotiations to join the Schengen area, there is now free access for travelers arriving by air or sea from both countries. However, land border controls will remain in place due to opposition mainly from Austria, which has long blocked their bid over concerns about illegal immigration.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hailed the change as a “great success for both countries” and a “historic moment” for what is the world's largest free transit zone.
The Schengen Area was established in 1985. Before the admission of Bulgaria and Romania, it was made up of 23 of the 27 EU member countries, along with Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Around 3.5 million people cross an internal border every day. Austria vetoed the admission of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen zone at the end of 2022, but allowed Croatia to fully join. Bulgaria and Romania to the EU in 2007 and Croatia in 2013.
Siegfried Muresan, a Romanian member of the European Parliament, told The Associated Press that this is “an important first step” that will benefit millions of travelers annually. "Bulgaria and Romania have met all the criteria for joining the Schengen area for years; we have the right to join also across the land border," he said, adding that "it will offer additional arguments to the last EU Member State that has vetoed accession." total".
Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu called it a "well-deserved achievement" for Romania that he said will benefit citizens who can travel more easily and strengthen the economy. "We have a clear and firmly agreed government plan for full accession to the Schengen area before the end of the year," he said. The EU's executive branch, the European Commission, has said for more than a decade that Romania and Bulgaria meet the technical criteria for full membership, requiring unanimous support from their partners. Both countries have agreed to implement random security checks at airports and sea borders to combat illegal migration and cross-border crime.
"Bulgaria's full accession to Schengen will occur at the end of 2024," Kalin Stoyanov, Bulgaria's Interior Minister, told reporters on Sunday. "We have shown and continue to show illegal immigrants that they should not take the path to Europe through Bulgaria."
The lifting of border control is expected to facilitate operations at Bulgaria's four international airports, which in 2023 received almost 11 million passengers, according to Airport representatives said the airport in the capital Sofia is the largest hub for Schengen flights, which make up 70% of all flights.
While the easing of regulations is expected to have a positive impact on the tourism sector, the transport sector and, in particular, truck drivers have expressed concerns about long queues at EU land borders and the impact that can have on trade in the bloc's single market, as well as on the health and safety of drivers.
The Bulgarian Union of International Transporters estimates that delays cost the sector tens of millions of euros each year.
