Bulgaria, Romania move closer to full Schengen membership

Hungary's Interior Minister Sándor Pintér has said that Bulgaria and Romania are one step closer to full membership in the Schengen Area.

Pintér made these remarks following talks with officials from Bulgaria, Romania and Austria in Budapest, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media. 

He noted that the final decision on this issue is expected to be made at the EU summit in Brussels in December.

"Bulgaria and Romania have taken another step towards becoming full members of the Schengen Area," Pintér stated. 

He noted that the two countries have made significant progress in their efforts to join the Schengen Area, which guarantees visa-free travel across Europe.

On December 30, 2023, the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council decided that Schengen rules will apply to air and sea borders in Romania and Bulgaria starting March 31, 2024. However, land border controls will remain in place.

The Schengen area currently spans over 4 million square kilometres and is home to nearly 420 million people, comprising 29 countries. This includes 25 of the 27 EU member states and all four members of the European Free Trade Association: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. 

On January 1, 2023, Croatia became the 27th country to join the Schengen zone. 

On December 30, 2023, the Council approved the removal of internal air and sea border controls with Bulgaria and Romania. Starting March 31, 2024, both countries will fully implement Schengen rules, and internal air and sea border checks will cease. 

By Naila Huseynova