Romania and Bulgaria are on track to become full members of the Schengen area as early as January 2025, according to Hungarian officials. The development comes after years of partial inclusion of the two Balkan countries, which joined the European Union in 2007 but only gained limited access to the Schengen area in March 2023.

While air and sea travel between countries and the Schengen area is free, land borders remain subject to controls due to concerns about illegal immigration, particularly from Austria, which previously blocked their entry into the area. .

Recent discussions in Budapest between the interior ministers of Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania led Austria to lift its opposition. This crucial step paves the way for a final decision by EU interior ministers, expected in December 2024.

Hungarian Interior Minister Sándor Pintér announced that Romania and Bulgaria were now taking “one more step” towards full membership, stressing that the deployment of at least 100 border guards on the border between Bulgaria and Turkey was an important measure.

EU officials, including Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, welcomed the deal, saying Romania and Bulgaria now “fully belong” to the Schengen area . Johansson expressed satisfaction with the progress, seeing it as a step towards greater freedom for citizens of both countries.

The planned accession of Romania and Bulgaria will expand the Schengen area, allowing travelers with Schengen visas to cross the border to these new member states without additional border controls. This integration is expected to improve travel opportunities across Europe, simplify cross-border movements and boost tourism and trade in the region.

Currently, the Schengen Area includes 23 of the 27 EU member states, as well as Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, facilitating the free movement of millions of travelers every day. With the inclusion of Romania and Bulgaria, the Schengen area will become even more accessible from January 2025.

The other Schengen countries are Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia and Slovakia. , Finland, Sweden, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.