Austria lifted its veto on the entry of Bulgaria and Romania into the Schengen area

Austria has lifted its long-standing veto on the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the visa-free Schengen zone.

This was reported by the ARA agency with reference to the statement of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Austria, Gerhard Karner.

According to Karner, Vienna will not prevent the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the Schengen zone. Officially, this decision should be adopted on December 12 at a meeting of the Council of Ministers of Internal Affairs of the European Union in Brussels.

"After the ʼSchengen in the Airʼ for Romania and Bulgaria, the ʼSchengen on the Groundʼ is also opening," Karner said.

The decision to admit countries to the Schengen area will contribute to the development of travel, trade and tourism.

• The Schengen zone is a European space where border control at the internal border has been abolished. The zone includes 29 European states.
• In December 2022, the ministers of internal affairs of the EU countries failed to approve the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the Schengen zone. Austria and the Netherlands opposed the accession of the countries, referring to their insufficient actions to curb illegal migration.
• At the end of December 2023, the EU reached a consensus on the partial accession of both countries to the Schengen zone — internal air and sea borders were abolished for the countries.

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