Romania Expected to Join Schengen Area by 2025
Romania is slated to fully integrate into the Schengen Area by January 1, 2025, according to Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. The final decision will be made at the JHA council in December, where The Netherlands is projected to cast the deciding vote. This follows past opposition to Bulgaria joining the free movement area.
Benefits of Joining the Schengen Area
The Prime Minister expressed gratitude for the continuous support from Hungary for Romania’s complete accession to the Schengen area. He highlighted the advantages Romania has already experienced from the partial entry into the Schengen Area and emphasized that Romania’s economic growth will be significantly boosted once full membership, including land, is achieved. The protection of the European Union’s partial borders by Romania will also positively affect Hungary.
Agreement Reached on Border Protection
Ciolacu shared that he had a recent phone conversation with Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer, in which he assured him that Romania is ready to take full responsibility for the protection of the EU’s external borders. An agreement has been reached with the interior ministers of Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Austria. Ciolacu expressed confidence that Romania will achieve full Schengen accession by the end of the year after 13 years of negotiations.
Joint Effort for Romania and Bulgaria’s Schengen Accession
The Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, stated that Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Austria have committed to work diligently to ensure that Romania and Bulgaria join the Schengen Area with land borders from January 1, 2025. The final decision, which requires the approval of all EU interior ministers, will be made in Brussels in December.
Full Membership Welcomed by European Officials
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola have both welcomed the potential full accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen area. Metsola noted that a stronger Schengen signifies a stronger Europe and anticipates a final decision in the coming days.
