Romania had recently spilled the beans, but official confirmation remained. It arrived on the night of Saturday 30 to Sunday 31 December 2023 when the twenty-seven member states of the European Union (EU) announced that Bulgaria and Romania were going to partially integrate the Schengen area of free movement, from from March 31.
This date was chosen because it corresponds to the transition from winter schedules to those planned for summer by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), according to the press release of the Twenty-Seven who agreed at the unanimity to lift controls at the air and sea borders, internal to the EU, of these two countries. They will have to make a new decision to choose the date for lifting controls at land borders, internal to the EU, adds this press release from the Council of the EU, an institution which represents the member states.
The European Commission, for its part, welcomed this decision, which comes after no less than twelve years of negotiations. “Today marks a historic moment for Bulgaria and Romania, and a day of great pride for Bulgarian and Romanian citizens”, welcomed the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, in a press release. The Commission recalled that it had considered since 2011 that these two countries were ready to join the Schengen area.
Austria lifted its veto in exchange for guarantees
Bulgaria and Romania, members of the EU since 2007, were rejected by Austria at the end of 2022 from the Schengen area within which more than 400 million people can travel freely without internal border controls. Vienna had vetoed it to protest against too many illegal immigrants arriving on its territory, before agreeing to lift it in exchange for guarantees.
Sofia and Bucharest agreed to fight more against illegal immigration in a joint declaration signed on Saturday with Austria. Bulgaria and Romania are also committed to fully applying European law, which provides that asylum requests be processed in the migrant’s country of arrival.
Created in 1985, the Schengen area includes 23 of the 27 EU member countries as well as their associated neighbors Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.