BUDAPEST, Hungary — Officials in Hungary announced that Bulgaria and Romania may attain full membership in the Schengen travel zone as soon as early 2025.
Both nations entered the European Union in 2007 but only recently saw limited integration into the borderless Schengen area this past March, which lifted border checks for maritime and air travel. However, land border checks have persisted due to opposition from Austria, which has expressed concerns regarding illegal migration as a primary reason for halting the accession of these countries to the Schengen zone.
Following a meeting in Budapest with the interior ministers from Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Romania, Austria has now rescinded its opposition, opening the door for an official decision to be made at an upcoming EU interior ministers’ summit in December.
Sándor Pintér, Hungary’s Interior Minister, remarked that Romania and Bulgaria, both of which share borders with non-EU nations, are now “one step closer” to achieving full Schengen membership. He emphasized that there is a “clear opportunity” to complete the process by the year’s end, mentioning that the nations would need to collaborate in sending at least 100 border guards to patrol the border between Bulgaria and Turkey.
Ylva Johansson, the EU Home Affairs Commissioner, who attended the Budapest meeting, expressed her delight in a video shared on social media platform X, stating, “This is a great day to achieve the full freedom for all the citizens of Bulgaria and Romania into the Schengen area, and I’m very happy today.”
The Schengen Area, established in 1985, originally included 23 of the 27 EU member states, plus Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein prior to the limited entry of Bulgaria and Romania. Currently, around 3.5 million individuals cross an internal border daily.
Ursula von der Leyen, president of the EU’s executive commission, remarked on X that both Bulgaria and Romania are rightful members of the Schengen zone.
She expressed her support for the outcomes of today’s informal discussions in Budapest, saying, “Let 2025 see Schengen become stronger.”