The Council of the European Union (EU) has unanimously adopted the full incorporation of Bulgaria and Romania into the Schengen area after Austria, the last country of the Twenty-seven that opposed the measure, lifted its veto.
The decision implies that, starting in March, controls at the internal air and sea borders with those two countries - which joined the EU in 2007 - will be eliminated, with the commitment of Austria, Bulgaria and Romania to agree later. the date of the end of ground controls, the current Spanish presidency of the Council of the EU reported this Saturday night.
The news has been expected for a few days with the leak of Austria's reversal. And the agreement can be applied from March, when airlines modify their flight plans, since it will imply a change of arrival terminal, without the need to go through passport control.
The decision culminates a process that began 12 years ago and was one of the priorities of the Ministry of the Interior for the semester of the Spanish Presidency that ends on December 31. And it has been possible after intense negotiation in recent weeks between the affected Member States (Austria, Bulgaria and Romania), with the support of the European Commission and the mediation of the Spanish presidency of the Council. "The negotiating determination of the presidency has managed to overcome persistent reluctance and reach a fair and historic agreement," sources from the Interior Ministry have summarized to La Vanguardia.
The progressive lifting of controls on the internal borders of Bulgaria and Romania "will strengthen and expand the European free movement area and facilitate the movement of millions of people, with a very positive social and economic impact throughout the region," the same report states. sources.
In addition, Bucharest and Sofia commit to fully implement European legislation, which establishes that asylum applications are processed in the country of arrival of the migrant.
Therefore, the two countries must "immediately receive all asylum seekers and refugees for whom they are responsible" but who have continued their journey to Austria, "without any limitations", this being "particularly important for asylum seekers Afghans and Syrians," states the text signed by all parties.
In return, Austria, which last year vetoed the integration of Romania and Bulgaria into the Schengen area to protest against the excessive entry of illegal immigrants into its territory, agrees to relax its position.
Although the European Commission and European Parliament have been ensuring for years that Bulgaria and Romania, members of the EU since 2007, are prepared to enter Schengen, Austria had until now blocked their entry.
The Schengen Treaty establishes the lifting of border controls between its Member States, which currently cover 4.3 million square kilometers and 423 million citizens of 27 European countries (23 EU members and 4 non-EU members).
