Bulgaria and Romania have finally achieved partial membership in the Schengen free travel zone, with the removal of air and sea border controls. As of March 31, people can now travel by sea or air between the two Eastern European countries and most remaining countries of the European Union (EU) without going through visa control. The Romanian government has stated that Schengen regulations will apply to four seaports and 17 airports, including Otopeni airport near Bucharest.
However, despite their progress, both countries still face challenges in fully joining Schengen. Human resources, including border police and immigration officers, will be deployed to airports to assist passengers and detect those who want to leave illegally. Random checks will also be carried out to detect people carrying fake documents and combat human trafficking. Both countries hope to fully integrate into Schengen later this year, although Austria has only made concessions on air and sea routes so far.
Bulgaria and Romania see admission to Schengen as an important milestone in their efforts towards becoming full members of the EU. The Schengen area, established in 1985, allows over 400 million people to travel freely without internal border controls. With the addition of Bulgaria and Romania, the Schengen area now includes 29 members. Croatia was fully accepted into the Schengen area in January 2023 after joining the EU after both countries.
While both countries celebrate their partial integration into Schengen, there is still work to be done before they can fully enjoy all the benefits of free movement within Europe’s borders. Efforts are ongoing to join Schengen at land borders as Romanian truck drivers and businesses continue to face long queues and significant losses due to restrictions imposed by EU customs officials. The Romanian Interior Minister has expressed determination to continue diplomatic efforts to achieve this goal while Bulgarian businesses have also expressed disappointment that freedom of movement regulations have not been applied to roads yet as most of Bulgaria’s goods are transported by road.
In conclusion, while Bulgaria and Romania have taken a significant step towards a stronger, more united Europe for all citizens with their partial membership in the Schengen free travel zone, there is still much work left before they can fully benefit from it completely.