Romania will be granted access to the Schengen land border by the end of the year, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said, meaning Romanians will be able to travel abroad without checks by next Easter.
Ciolacu said the decision on Romania and Bulgaria joining Schengen with land borders would be taken early next month, followed by the Justice and Home Affairs Council decision on 13 December.
If so, land border controls would be lifted in March, allowing Romanians to travel within most of the EU and some other countries by Easter 2025.
“During the Easter holidays, Romanians will very likely be able to travel within the Schengen Area,” the prime minister said at the start of Thursday’s Cabinet meeting.
“Discussions and negotiations are still ongoing,” said Interior Minister Cătălin Predoiu, welcoming a statement by Magnus Brunner, the Austrian Commissioner-designate for Home Affairs and Migration, during a European Parliament hearing where Brunner expressed his support for the rapid accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen land border area.
Bulgarian MEP Emil Radev said additional funding was needed for Bulgaria to secure borders in preparation for Schengen accession.
“I will work to see the Schengen Area fully unified,” Brunner responded. He was nominated by Austria which last year vetoed Romania and Bulgaria’s full accession to the Schengen area.
Romania’s prime minister “angry” with Austrian chancellor over Schengen blockade— Kronen Zeitung
