The Romanian President Applauds Romania’s Complete Schengen Membership

The Romanian President Applauds Romania’s Complete Schengen Membership.The interior ministers of Austria, Romania, Bulgaria, and Hungary, who are in charge of the Council of the European Union, met on November 22 and came to an agreement that opens the door to Schengen’s full accession.

Marcel Ciolacu, Romania’s prime minister, announced shortly after the meeting that Romania would join the Schengen area in terms of land borders on January 1, 2025.

Since Romania and Bulgaria are working together to join the Schengen Zone, Bulgaria would also be included in Romania’s land border accession.

Hungary’s priority would be fulfilled if Romania and Bulgaria were fully admitted to Schengen.
As the current EU Council president, Hungary has stated that the land-border accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen Zone would satisfy one of its top priorities, according to János Bóka, Minister for European Union Affairs.

A vote is expected by the middle of December.
Participating in the November 22 meeting, European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson recently stated that the next meeting of the EU Council for Justice and Home Affairs could expect to vote on Romania’s and Bulgaria’s full accession to the Schengen Area on December 12–13.

On March 31, 2024, Romania and Bulgaria partially joined the Schengen Zone by sea and air rather than by land borders.

On November 26, a number of European Parliament members called for the Justice and Home Affairs Council (JHA) to rule in favor of Romania and Bulgaria’s full Schengen accession at its next meeting on December 12–13.