After a thirteen-year wait, Bulgaria and Romania joined the Schengen Area on 31 March 2024, enabling free movement across Europe. This decision allowed travellers to move freely by air and sea without facing internal border checks. However, it only applied to removing internal air and sea border checks.
Now, Romania and Bulgaria are expected to fully join Europe’s open-border Schengen area by January 2025, following a significant meeting in neighbouring Hungary on Friday. Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu announced the good news on Monday.
Both countries, which are members of the European Union and NATO, gained partial access to the 29-country Schengen area for air and sea travel in March after reaching an agreement with Austria. Austria had initially opposed their entry, citing concerns about high levels of illegal immigration and stating that Romania and Bulgaria needed to take further measures to address the issue. In a post on X on 19 November, Ciolacu said he spoke with Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer about this issue.
“Just had a good phone conversation with @karlnehammer about our efforts to reinforce border security & the data showing a reduction of illegal crossings. Romania’s successful integration in the air & maritime #Schengen gives us hopes for the full integration by the end of the year.”
According to a statement from Prime Minister Viktor Orbán‘s chief of staff, Hungary will host a meeting of the interior ministers from Austria, Romania, and Bulgaria on Friday.
“The meeting on Friday is crucial; that is why I agreed with Hungary’s prime minister I will go to Hungary … on the day interior ministers get together to close the final document,” Ciolacu told private television channel Antena3 in Bucharest.
He added that the Dutch parliament—which had opposed Bulgaria’s joining—would also need to approve the document.
“But we already have an agreed calendar. It will happen from 1 January 2025. Those who come home for the holidays will leave much easier after,” declared the Romanian Prime Minister.
Although Ciolacu did not mention Bulgaria, the two countries formed a package concerning accession to the Schengen area.
