Romania and Bulgaria Become Full Schengen Members

Romania and Bulgaria are finally allowed to become full Schengen Area members starting January 1, 2025.

The two countries had been trying to join the Schengen Area for over a decade but were prevented by parties that did not believe the two countries were ready for this change. But now that Austria no longer opposes Romania and Bulgaria joining Schengen, this milestone will finally be reached by the countries that were set to join since 2011.

However, the process may be slower, so people might still have to go through border checks before customs verifications disappear.

Romania and Bulgaria Finally Join the Schengen Area

Romania and Bulgaria have been waiting to join the Schengen Area since 2011. Both countries were declared ready to join by the European Commission. Unfortunately for them, other countries opposed the decision.

France and Germany were two EU members that denied the joint candidacy of the two countries due to immigration and governance problems. So, every year, Schengen accession was delayed. In the end, Germany and France lifted their veto, slowly but surely making way for Romania and Bulgaria to join Schengen.

The last two countries standing in the way were the Netherlands and Austria. The former lifted its veto back in 2023, leaving Austria as the sole deciding country in this regard. However, the EC lifted sea and air checks in 2024, showing that things were progressing. In November, Austria also lifted its veto, so the two countries can now join the Schengen area without problems.

Being a Schengen Area member means free movement is easier between EU countries, which allows business travelers to cross borders without any obstacles. As a result, it will be easier for various markets in Europe to conduct sales, attend meetings, and more.

“Fully in Schengen – where you belong,” said Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission’s president, on social media.

Will Checks Be Lifted Immediately at the Borders?

Even though the two countries become full members in January 2025, border checks will not be gone from the first day. Actually, the Budapest deal talks about introducing border checks between Romania and Bulgaria and Hungary and Romania for at least 6 months. This is to ensure there are no serious threats to public policy and internal security.

Still, the timeline could increase, depending on the case. This is also to reassure Vienna, which has been constantly concerned about irregular migration.

Migration was one of the main reasons why Austria was constantly refusing to let the countries join Schengen. Therefore, business travelers from Bulgaria and Romania will still have to deal with border checks for a while before traveling more smoothly.

Having no border checks due to Schengen Area membership means streamlined logistics, easier market access, reduced travel time, and more straightforward talent acquisition for businesses trying to expand or improve their operations. Romania and Bulgaria are on the way there, but they still have to deal with some restrictions for at least a few months before anyone can travel passport-free to another Schengen state.