After more than a decade of debates and opposition, EU interior ministers decided on Thursday (12 December) to lift internal land border controls with and between Bulgaria and Romania, allowing them to join the Schengen Area fully.

The decision was made during Thursday’s Home Affairs Council under the Hungarian presidency, which achieved what Sándor Pintér, Hungarian minister for home affairs, described as a “top priority.”

However, internal border controls will continue to be conducted at land borders between Romania and Bulgaria – and also Hungary and Romania – for a period of at least six months to mitigate “potential changes in migratory patterns due to the removal of internal borders.”

Bulgaria and Romania, EU members since 2007, have finally secured full access to the Schengen Area after years of opposition from several member states, notably Austria, which had long cited concerns over migration and irregular entries.

“Today’s decision is a recognition of our years-long efforts and progress achieved,” Romanian President Klaus Iohannis posted on X, reflecting on a journey that began in 2011 when the European Commission first declared both countries ready to join.

The Council did adopt a partial air-sea Schengen decision for the two nations in December 2023, which took effect in March.

Last month, Vienna lifted its long-standing veto, acknowledging the significant progress Bulgaria and Romania have made in tackling irregular migration, finally clearing the way for their full accession to the Schengen system.

Despite this, the decision comes as several member states, including Austria, Italy, Norway, Germany, France, and Poland, have reinstated border checks, challenging what Internal Affairs and Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner called the EU’s most “tangible achievement.”

[Edited by Martina Monti]

Source: Euractiv.com