Romania and Bulgaria Also Allow Travel to European Countries Without Passport Checks

Expansion of Schengen Area to 29 Countries in March Next Year... from 27

From March next year, passport checks and inspections will no longer be required when traveling by plane or ship between Romania, Bulgaria, and most European countries.

According to major foreign media on the 30th (local time), Spain, the rotating presidency of the European Union (EU) Council, announced that member states unanimously agreed on the gradual accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen Agreement. The Schengen Agreement guarantees free movement of people and goods by exempting border crossing procedures such as passport checks within member countries in Europe.

Among the 27 EU countries, 23 countries along with four non-EU countries?Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, and Liechtenstein?are members, and with this decision, the number of member countries has increased to a total of 29, including 25 EU countries. Among EU countries, Ireland and Cyprus remain non-members. From March next year, air and sea border controls within Schengen member countries will be lifted in Romania and Bulgaria. However, the timing for lifting land border controls will continue to be discussed next year, with the European Commission explaining that "a decision will be made within a reasonable timeframe."

Charles Michel, President of the European Council, welcomed the decision on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), saying, "This is a long-awaited measure to allow citizens of Romania and Bulgaria to enjoy freedom of movement." Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, stated on X, "Romania and Bulgaria deserve it as much as they have worked hard," adding, "They will make the Schengen Agreement even stronger."

Romania and Bulgaria have been pursuing accession to the Schengen Agreement since joining the EU in 2007, and the European Commission judged that these countries met the conditions for accession three times?in 2011, 2022, and this year. In March, a pilot project was launched in these two countries to strengthen external borders and accelerate asylum and repatriation procedures. Austria, which had opposed the accession of these countries until the end, withdrew its opposition ahead of this decision.