Romania and Bulgaria will join the Schengen zone from the beginning of 2025

Romania and Bulgaria will become full members of the Schengen area from January 1, 2025.

This was reported by the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the EU.

Border controls will be abolished on the land borders of the two countries with the countries of the Schengen Agreement. Austria previously opposed it due to high levels of illegal migration in Bulgaria and Romania, but lifted its veto on December 9. Vienna explained that the arrival of migrants to Austria through these countries has significantly decreased.

"A great victory for Bulgaria, Romania and all of Europe!" this is how the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union commented on the decision.

Until July 2025, random checks will be carried out at the border to prevent possible threats.

• 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 could not 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. Negotiations on land borders continued throughout 2024.

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