– Bulgaria and Romania will partially join the European Union's Schengen Free Movement Area as of March 31.
This was announced on Saturday (30) by the 27 member states.
A statement issued by Brussels explained that the European Union countries unanimously decided to cancel controls on the air and sea borders of the two countries, starting from the date that corresponds to the transition from winter time to summer time.
The 27 countries will have to take a new decision to choose the date on which controls on the EU's internal land borders of Romania and Bulgaria will be abolished, according to a European Council note.
In a statement, the European Union's executive authority also welcomed the decision after 12 years of negotiations.
“Today represents a historic moment for Bulgaria and Romania, and a source of great pride for their citizens,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a press statement.
The Commission recalled that it had considered since 2011 that the two countries were ready to join the Schengen Area.
Vienna had imposed the ban in 2022 in protest against the entry of many illegal immigrants into its territory, but agreed to cancel it in exchange for guarantees.
Sofia and Bucharest agreed to fight illegal immigration more intensively in a joint declaration signed on Saturday with Vienna.
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