European Union Ministers have agreed to let Bulgaria and Romania fully integrate into the Schengen area; Europe’s ID-check-free travel zone, by lifting land border controls from next year.

Bulgaria and Romania joined the Schengen area in March after years of negotiations, providing free access for travelers arriving in both countries by air or sea.

However, land border checks remained in place due to opposition, chiefly from Austria, over concerns that the two countries were not doing enough to prevent migrants from entering without authorization.

The EU Hungarian presidency posted on X that Interior Misters have “just adopted a decision to lift internal land border controls with and between Bulgaria and Romania,” calling it a great victory for Bulgaria, Romania, and all of Europe.

Land border checks will end from January 1, 2025.

Freedom of movement is central to European integration.

More than 420 million people live in the Schengen area, and their freedom to move across borders helps businesses and tourism to flourish.

The Schengen Area was established in 1985. Before Bulgaria and Romania’s partial admission, it was comprised of 23 of the 27 EU member countries, along with Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Around 3.5 million people cross an internal border each day.

The Schengen area is one of the main achievements of the European project.

It started as an intergovernmental project between five EU countries — France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg — and has gradually expanded to become the largest free travel area in the world.

However, several Schengen member countries, including the Netherlands, Austria and Germany, this year reinstated some land border checks, over concerns ranging from illegal migration to security.

Some EU officials warned the reimposed checks could undermine the scheme’s goals.

EU Decision Hailed

Romania’s Prime Minister, Marcel Ciolacu said tthat he decision would be a “major benefit” to his country’s economy and enable “faster journeys home for the millions of Romanians” living and traveling within the Schengen area.

Romanian President, Klaus Iohannis also called it a “natural and necessary step” that will significantly reduce wait times at borders, lower logistical costs for businesses, and attract foreign investors.

“Schengen membership has been a strategic objective for our country. Over time, there have been numerous obstacles, despite Romania’s technical readiness to meet Schengen standards for many years.”
Klaus Iohannis

He added that Romania would “continue to act responsibly to protect and strengthen the EU’s external borders” to manage illegal migration.

Moreover, Economists from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences calculated that with the decision, the total positive financial effect for Bulgaria would amount to 800 million euro ($840 million) per year.

Bulgarian Interior Minister, Atanas Ilkov asserted that it was “a historic day for Bulgaria, for Bulgarian citizens, for Bulgarian businesses, for the government.”

“This is a well-deserved result of all our efforts over the past years, efforts made by all employees of the ministry of internal affairs.

“These efforts included physical security at the Bulgarian-Turkish border, using all available resources.”
Atanas Ilkov

Ilkov added that last week, “colleagues dismantled yet another organized criminal group involved in illegal migration” and that random checks at the Bulgarian-Turkish border will continue.

Most drivers at Bulgaria’s Kulata border checkpoint with Greece, known for its huge traffic jams for trucks and tourists, hailed the decision.

However, Dutch MP, Marina Vondeling called the expansion of the Schengen area “irresponsible”, saying the removal of land border controls for Bulgaria and Romania would lead to “more asylum seekers, migration and corruption.”

She also criticised the timing, as “many countries are actually introducing more controls at the internal borders right now.”

The Netherlands has tightened up its border checks this month.