Austria has agreed to lift its long-standing veto on the accession of Romania and Bulgaria into the passport-free Schengen Area, ending years of frustration for the southeast European countries.
The breakthrough was announced Friday by the Hungarian presidency of the EU Council, which hosted a meeting in Budapest with the interior ministers of Romania, Bulgaria and Austria.
The three ministers signed a “joint agreement” to pave the way for complete Schengen membership, spokesperson said. The statement highlights “progress” made in curbing irregular migration and asylum claims across the three countries, and includes a pledge to speed up deportations of rejected applicants.
The deal means checks at internal land borders are abolished, the last remaining obstacle. In March, passport checks at sea and air borders were permanently removed.
Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, welcomed the news, saying Romania and Bulgaria “belong fully” to the Schengen area. “Let 2025 see Schengen become stronger,” she said.
Roberta Metsola, the president of the European Parliament said: “a stronger Schengen means a stronger Europe.”
To agreement needs to be unanimously endorsed by member states, which is expected to go smoothly.
Ylva Johansson, the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, who took part in the ministerial meeting, said the vote would happen on 12-13 December and that, “hopefully” by 1 January, the checks at land borders would be completely removed.
“This is a great moment,” Johansson said in a video message. “I’m very happy today.”
The exclusion of Romania and Bulgaria from the Schengen Area, which encompasses 450 million people and the vast majority of member states, has been a source of friction and resentment between the two countries and Austria.
The breakthrough comes at a time when several member states, like Germany and France, have re-introduced border checks in a bid to control irregular migration, even if experts cast doubt about the effectiveness of this unilateral measure.
According to the joint statement signed on Friday, temporary border controls will be established between Hungary and Romania and between Romania and Bulgaria for at least six months to “prevent any serious threat to public policy and internal security.
