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Romania, Bulgaria drop EU border checks, join Schengen

January 1, 2025

Two EU nations, Romania and Bulgaria, are eliminating land border controls to the rest of the bloc after Austria dropped its veto last month. All EU countries except Cyprus and Ireland are now in the Schengen zone.

https://p.dw.com/p/4ojlK
Romanian and Hungarian police officers raising barrier at Nadlac-Csanadpalota border crossing
Romanian and Hungarian police officers ceremonially raised barriers along the border between the two countriesImage: Virgil Simonescu/Inquam Photos/REUTERS

Romania and Bulgaria fully joined the European Union's Schengen zoneon Wednesday, eliminating land border controls to other member states.

The Schengen zone allows residents to travel between countries without passport checks.

While the Schengen zone has steadily expanded since its establishment, several countries, including Germany, have reintroduced border checks on their crossings in recent years.

Early last month, the Netherlands also introduced border controls for travelers entering from Germany and Belgium.

Romania, Bulgaria celebrate full Schengen membership

Bulgarian Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev hailed the expansion of the Schengen zone as a "historic event" while speaking from the southwestern town of Kulata on Bulgaria's border with Greece.

Car drives past empty Romania-Bulgaria border guard stall
As of January 1, Romania and Bulgaria no longer have land border controls between each other and with other EU member statesImage: George Calin/Inquam Photos/REUTERS

On New Year's Eve, Romanian Interior Minister Catalin Predoiu and Bulgarian counterpart Atanas Ilkov presided over a ceremony at the Giurgiu-Russe border crossing in which barriers were raised.

A similar ceremony was held at the Nadlac-Csanadpalota crossing between Romania and Hungary.

Why are Romania and Bulgaria only joining Schengen this year?

Romania and Bulgaria entered the EU in 2007. While the two countries had filled the requirements to enter the zone since 2010, a number of countries had raised objection to their accession over fears of unsustainable migration and burden on the welfare system in the EU's richer regions.

One of the opponents to their entry to Schengen was Austria, which started exercising its veto in 2022. While controls on air and sea borders were lifted in March 2024, the bloc only decided to remove border controls to the two countries after Austria dropped its veto in December. 

The Schengen free movement zone now encompasses all EU countries except Cyprus and Ireland. It also includes Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

sdi/dj (dpa, Reuters)