Romania and Bulgaria officially became full members of the Schengen Zone at midnight on Tuesday, marking a historic milestone for the Eastern European nations after a 13-year wait.
The move grants their citizens the freedom of movement within the 29-member bloc, reflecting significant progress in their integration into the European Union.
Both countries achieved partial membership in March 2024 when border checks at their airports and seaports were eliminated. This full integration, including the removal of land border controls, was approved by EU partners in December 2024.
The Schengen Zone, established in 1985, now consists of 29 countries, including 25 of the EU’s 27 member states, as well as Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein. With this expansion, over 400 million residents can now travel freely within the zone without border checks.
Celebrations took place at land border checkpoints as the clock struck midnight, symbolizing the end of a long wait for Romania and Bulgaria, two of the EU's poorest member states.
Both countries had met the technical criteria for Schengen membership as early as 2011, but political objections from other EU nations delayed their entry.
Austrian resistance, which had previously vetoed their membership over concerns about increased refugee arrivals, was lifted after months of policy adjustments led to a significant reduction in border crossings.
Experts predict that Schengen membership will bring substantial economic benefits, potentially boosting the GDP of both Romania (19 million population) and Bulgaria (6.5 million population) by at least 1%.
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