“This is a great success for both countries,” President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said.
“And a historic moment for the Schengen area — the largest area of free movement in the world. Together, we are building a stronger, more united Europe for all our citizens.”
The Schengen zone now has 29 members – 25 of the 27 European Union member states as well as Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
Romania’s government said Schengen rules would apply to four seaports and 17 airports, including Bucharest’s largest Henri Coanda airport. In Bulgaria it will apply to four airports.
Additional border police and immigration officers will be deployed and random checks will be carried out to detect people with false documents.
The eased travel regulations are expected to be a boost for tourism in the southeast European countries, officials say.
The Schengen Area was created in 1995 following the signing of the Schengen Agreement 10 years earlier between five member states of the European Economic Community: Germany, Belgium, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.
Truck drivers are frequently stuck in kilometers-long queues at the borders of Romania and Bulgaria, costing the sectors and estimated tens of millions of euros each year.
Austria agrees to ‘Air and Sea Schengen’ for Romania, Bulgaria
