01.01.2025 11:00
With the decision of the Council of the European Union, Bulgaria and Romania will be included in the Schengen Area as of January 1, 2025. The European Commission, which is the executive body of the European Union, expressed its opinion in favor of Bulgaria and Romania's inclusion in Schengen in 2011.
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According to the decision taken by the Council of the European Union (EU) on December 12, 2024, Bulgaria and Romania have effectively joined the Schengen Area as of today.
It took time for member countries to reach a consensus on the two countries' accession to the EU's free travel area. Most recently, the two countries were initially included in the Schengen Area by sea and air on March 31, 2024, facing obstacles from the Netherlands, Hungary, and Austria.
AUSTRIA WITHDREW ITS VETO DECISION
After Austria withdrew its veto decision based on reasons such as migration and corruption, the last obstacle to the inclusion of the two countries in the Schengen Area by land was also removed. Thus, as of January 1, 2025, Bulgaria and Romania's full membership in the Schengen Area has begun.
THEY BECAME EU MEMBERS IN 2007
The two countries became EU members in 2007. The European Commission, the executive body of the EU, expressed its opinion in 2011 in favor of Bulgaria and Romania's inclusion in the Schengen Area.
There are 29 countries in the Schengen Area. The area includes EU members Germany, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Bulgaria, and Romania, as well as non-EU countries Liechtenstein, Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland.
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