EU states on Thursday cleared Bulgaria and Romania to become full members of the borderless Schengen zone from the start of next year, officials said. “It is a historic moment to finally welcome Bulgaria and Romania,” said Hungarian Interior Minister Sandor Pinter, whose country holds the EU’s rotating presidency.
The two countries, both members of the European Union since 2007, were partially integrated into the free movement zone in March, opening up travel by air and sea without border checks. But Austria held up their full entry over migration concerns, which meant that controls still applied at their land routes. Vienna announced Monday that it would not use its veto at Thursday’s meeting of EU ministers, paving the way for the two to become full members from January 1, 2025.
Bucharest and Sofia fulfilled all technical criteria set out by Brussels in 2010, but spent more than a decade waiting to join the Schengen zone as various member states blocked their entry. Since 2022, their applications have been held up by Austria, which had for years complained about hosting a disproportionate number of undocumented immigrants as a result of poorly protected external Schengen borders.
Austria dropped its objections after the three countries signed a “border protection package” agreement in Budapest. The agreement foresees the joint deployment of border guards to the Bulgarian-Turkish border and temporary border controls on land routes for an initial period of six months, according to Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner.
Created in 1985, the Schengen zone currently comprises 29 members — 25 of the 27 European Union member states as well as Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. It is the world’s biggest area without internal border controls, where more than 400 million people can travel freely inside the zone.
Before Romania and Bulgaria were fully welcomed into the Schengen Area in December 2024, their participation in the Schengen framework was limited. Here’s an overview of their situation before and the change now:
Before Full Membership (Pre-2024):
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EU Membership but not in Schengen:
- Romania and Bulgaria joined the European Union (EU) in 2007, which gave their citizens freedom of movement across the EU for work, education, and travel.
- However, they were not part of the Schengen Area, meaning border controls remained in place between them and Schengen countries.
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Border Controls:
- Travelers from Romania and Bulgaria had to go through passport checks when entering or exiting Schengen countries.
- Goods transported across borders faced customs checks, which slowed trade.
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Limited Schengen-Related Privileges:
- Romania and Bulgaria already applied some Schengen rules, such as using the Schengen Information System (SIS) for security and border management.
- Citizens had access to visa-free travel within the Schengen Area for short stays but did not benefit from seamless border crossings.
Full Membership (Post-2024):
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Seamless Border Crossings:
- Passport checks at borders with other Schengen countries have been abolished, allowing for unrestricted travel between Romania, Bulgaria, and other Schengen members.
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Enhanced Trade and Mobility:
- Businesses benefit from faster and cheaper transportation of goods as customs and border checks are eliminated.
- Citizens can travel freely without border delays or checks across the 27 Schengen countries.
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Stronger Integration:
- Full Schengen membership enhances their integration into the EU by fostering closer economic ties and cooperation in areas like security and migration management.
Romania and Bulgaria’s acceptance into Schengen in December 2024 is a significant milestone, symbolizing their full integration into one of the EU’s core frameworks. This move is expected to boost economic growth, ease mobility for their citizens, and strengthen regional cooperation.
