Bulgaria and Romania could join Schengen fully by the end of the year. Austria would have decided to eliminate its veto which was keeping the practice suspended, with Vienna pushing to maintain border controls fearing an increase in irregular immigration.
The first steps
The two Eastern European countries joined the European Union in 2007, but only at the beginning of this year were they allowed to join, albeit partially, the Schengen agreement, which establishes an area of free circulation between member countries and which allows border controls to be abolished.
However, the EU has so far allowed the two nations to join the area only with regards to the elimination of controls for air and sea travel. But as far as land borders are concerned, the question changes. When the two countries joined Schengen in March 2024, some member states did not want to agree to the elimination of land borders, asking for controls to be maintained. It was Austria above all that opposed it by placing its veto due to the fear of an increase in irregular immigration from the eastern border of the EU.
Improvements in the fight against irregular immigration
What Vienna demanded was an increase in security on the borders of the two countries. The governments of Sofia and Bucharest have implemented controls and both asylum applications and arrivals of irregular migrants have decreased. As reported by the Financial Times, which cites people close to Austria, it appears to be satisfied with the measures taken and would now be ready to give its green light.
Accession will then have to be formalised, potentially at the next regular meeting of all EU Home Affairs ministers scheduled for 12 December. This would allow all restrictions to be lifted early next year.
Holland could complicate things
Despite Austria’s agreement, it may now be the Netherlands that continues to hinder the process. The Dutch government gave the green light for Bulgaria and Romania to join Schengen in 2023, before Geert Wilders’ extreme party entered the country’s governing coalition after last November’s elections. The Dutch Parliament will hold another debate on the issue and may recommend reviewing the Netherlands’ position.
But Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said earlier in the week that he was confident. “We already have an agreed timetable. Membership will take place from January 1, 2025,” he told local media.
