Bulgaria, Romania to Finally Join Schengen Starting 2025
Both countries joined the European Union in 2007
Bulgaria and Romania will complete integration into the Schengen area on January 1, 2025. It is the world’s largest free movement zone without internal border controls. Border controls between France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg were abolished back in 1985, the Schengen area now includes 29 countries (25 of the 27 member states, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland) and covers 420 million people.
“This is a historic moment to finally welcome Bulgaria and Romania as full members of the Schengen Agreement,” explained Hungarian Interior Minister Sándor Pintér. “Abolishing checks on people at internal land borders with and between these member states was a top priority of the Hungarian Chairmanship, and today we have made it a reality. This move will benefit not only the citizens of Bulgaria and Romania, but also the entire EU.”
Since their accession to the EU in 2007, Bulgaria and Romania have applied parts of the Schengen legal framework, including those related to external border controls, police cooperation, and the use of the Schengen Information System. On December 30, 2023, the Council decided to finally integrate the two countries into the agreement.
