Romania and Bulgaria Join Schengen After 13-Year Wait, Closing 39 Border Checkpoints

Jan 1, 2025, 09:11 AM

Romania and Bulgaria have officially joined the Schengen zone, becoming fully-fledged members as of January 1, 2025, after more than 13 years of waiting since their accession to the European Union. The two Eastern European countries have scrapped land border controls with their neighbors, resulting in the closure of 39 border checkpoints, and allowing citizens to travel freely within the Schengen area without passport checks. Air and sea border controls with Schengen countries had been lifted earlier in March 2024. The integration is expected to boost their economies by facilitating faster transport, enhancing trade, and promoting tourism. Ceremonies were held at border crossings to mark the historic occasion, including symbolic gestures such as cutting a chain at the Roşiori-Pocsaj border point. With Romania and Bulgaria's entry, only Ireland and Cyprus remain outside the Schengen area among European Union members, and the zone now expands to 29 countries, further promoting free movement within Europe.