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Bulgaria and Romania to Join Schengen in 2025 After Austria Lifts Veto in Historic EU Decision

Dec 12, 2024, 09:48 AM

European Union interior ministers have unanimously agreed to admit Bulgaria and Romania into the Schengen Area, allowing them full membership starting January 1, 2025. This historic decision comes after a nearly two-decade push that began in 2011 when the European Commission declared both countries ready to join. Earlier this year, in March, controls at air and sea borders were lifted, and the new agreement will remove land border controls, fully integrating the two nations into the passport-free zone. With their inclusion, the Schengen Area will now encompass 29 countries. Austria, which had previously blocked their accession over concerns about uncontrolled migration, lifted its veto and considers itself a winner in the negotiations. The move is expected to boost the struggling economies of Bulgaria and Romania by facilitating the free movement of goods and people.