Brussels, 30 December 2023
EU member states have reached an agreement on removing air and maritime internal border controls with Bulgaria and Romania. The decision has been taken by unanimity, following a written procedure.
I am very pleased that in 2024 air and maritime internal controls between Bulgaria and Romania and the other Schengen countries will become a thing of the past, after 12 years of negotiations. We are thus continuing to build an ever wider and stronger area of free movement.
Fernando Grande-Marlaska Gómez, Spanish Minister for the Interior
From 31 March 2024, there will no longer be checks on persons at EU internal air and maritime borders between Bulgaria and Romania and the other countries in the Schengen area. This date corresponds with the change of the winter/summer schedule set by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Following this first step, a further decision should be taken by the Council to establish a date for the lifting of checks at internal land borders.
Background
Since their accession to the EU, Bulgaria and Romania have applied parts of the Schengen legal framework (the Schengen acquis), including those related to the external border controls, police cooperation and the use of the Schengen Information System.
For the remaining parts of the Schengen acquis, which include the lifting of controls at internal borders and related measures, the Council decides unanimously on their application after it has been verified, in accordance with the applicable Schengen evaluation procedures, that they fulfil the necessary conditions.
- Council decision on the full application of the Schengen acquis in Bulgaria and Romania
- The Schengen area explained (background information)
- CM 5950 2023 INIT – Council Decision on the full application of the Schengen acquis in the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania Decision to use the written procedure Adoption Approval of a letter End of written procedure
- ST 17132 2023 INIT – COUNCIL DECISION on the full application of the provisions of the Schengen acquis in the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania
Source – EU Council
Bulgaria and Romania to join Schengen area starting with air and sea borders: Commission welcomes landmark Council decision
30 December 2023
The Commission welcomes today’s unanimous decision by the Council to welcome Romania and Bulgaria into the Schengen area, starting with lifting controls at air and sea borders as of March 2024. Their accession will boost travel, trade and tourism and will further consolidate the internal market. Discussions on a further decision to lift controls at land borders will continue in 2024. An enlarged Schengen area will make the EU stronger as a Union, internally and on the global stage.
President von der Leyen said:
“Today marks a historic moment for Bulgaria and Romania. And a day of great pride for Romanian and Bulgarian citizens. As of March, they will be able to freely cross internal sea and air borders, without border controls. This is a major step forward for both countries and for the Schengen area as a whole. Congratulations to Bulgaria and Romania: this great achievement is possible thanks to your hard work, commitment and perseverance. Thanks to you the Schengen area will become even stronger to the benefit of all EU citizens.”
Bulgaria and Romania are ready to join the Schengen area. The Commission first confirmed that both Bulgaria and Romania were ready to become part of the Schengen area without internal border controls in 2011. Since then, Bulgaria and Romania have continued to demonstrate that they fulfil the conditions for becoming Schengen members. This was reconfirmed by three fact finding missions at the Bulgarian and Romanian external borders in 2022 and 2023. The Commission also launched pilot projects with Romania and Bulgaria in March 2023 to boost external border management, reinforce cooperation with neighbouring countries and ensure fast asylum and return procedures.
The Schengen area is also ready to welcome Bulgaria and Romania. In the last decade, the EU has worked to reinforce the architecture that protects the area without internal border controls. A series of measures in the field of security, police and judicial cooperation have been introduced to ensure that the EU remains strong against security threats. The Schengen area is now also supported by a new governance model, a new evaluation mechanism and an annual cycle of reporting and monitoring. The joint efforts made in recent years have made Schengen stronger and more resilient.
This ninth enlargement of the Schengen area both confirms and reinforces the mutual trust and unity between Member States on which Schengen is built and will help to advance this essential project. It will make the Union stronger through a reinforced protection of our common external borders and effective police cooperation – more prosperous by eliminating time lost at borders and facilitating people and business contacts – and more attractive by significantly expanding the world’s largest common area without internal border controls.
Next steps
Discussions on a date for a possible lifting of the checks on persons at internal land borders will continue in 2024 and a decision by the Council on this matter is expected to be taken within a reasonable time frame.
To assist Bulgaria and Romania in protecting the external borders of the Union, substantial financial support and Frontex assistance will continue to be provided. At the same time, the pilot projects developed by Bulgaria and Romania at the external borders have proven effective and should be turned into more structural arrangements.
Background
Europe’s Schengen area of free movement is one of its greatest achievements and one that EU citizens cherish most. What started as an intergovernmental project between five Member States in 1985 – France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg – has gradually expanded over seven enlargement stages to become what is today the largest area of free movement in the world. The benefits of abolishing internal borders remain as compelling today as they were in 1985.
The Schengen area comprises 27 countries and extends over 4 million square kilometers with a population of almost 420 million people. With Romania and Bulgaria, the Schengen area will grow to 4.5 million square kilometers with a population of 450 million.
The Schengen area is an integral part of the EU’s legal framework. According to the Treaties all EU Member States of the EU need to become, when ready, full members of the Schengen area. This is both a right and an obligation. Both Bulgaria and Romania have proven to have a model track record of implementation. With Romania and Bulgaria, Schengen only becomes stronger. Voluntary fact-finding missions in 2022 in Bulgaria and Romania, and the latest mission in 2023 in Bulgaria only reinforced their readiness.
More Information
Report fact-finding mission Bulgaria (2023)
Quote(s)
The historic decision by the Council today is a strong testament to the EU’s unity of purpose and spirit. Romania and Bulgaria’s accession will make Schengen stronger – fortifying this ‘crown jewel’ so emblematic of our European way of life, to the benefit of the internal market, our economies and European citizens everywhere. I wholeheartedly congratulate both countries for all the hard work you have done to get here – this is your achievement, and it is not only deserved but overdue. And we will continue to walk every step of the road forward together.
Margaritis Schinas, Vice-President for Promoting our European Way of Life – 30/12/2023
I very much welcome the unanimous decision of Member States to invite Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen area. This landmark Council decision comes after 13 years of deadlock and is the result of political commitment and determination. It is a crucial step forward that will allow citizens and businesses to benefit fully their rights to free movement, by air and sea. I am confident that next year the Council will equally be in a position to decide on the lifting of controls at the land borders. I will continue supporting actively this crucial process for Europe.
Ylva Johansson, Commissioner for Home Affairs – 30/12/2023
Source – EU Commission