Romania and Bulgaria be part of the Schengen space – controls at airports are now not essential | EUROtoday
Two new members within the Schengen space – controls at airports and seaports are now not essential


Quelle: Getty Images/danm
The step had already been determined by the EU nations on the finish of December, and now it’s being applied: Romania and Bulgaria are becoming a member of the Schengen space. This implies that private checks are now not required at airports and seaports – and solely there in the meanwhile.
RRomania and Bulgaria joined the Schengen space on Easter Sunday. This implies that private checks at inside air and sea borders, i.e. at airports and seaports, will initially be eradicated. The EU nations had already agreed on the step on the finish of December. A choice on lifting controls at land borders can be made at a later date.
The admission of the 2 EU nations Romania and Bulgaria into the Schengen space had beforehand failed, primarily because of resistance from Austria. The authorities in Vienna justified the rejection by saying that too many unregistered migrants had been arriving. The Netherlands had additionally expressed considerations because of doubts in regards to the battle in opposition to corruption.
At the start of December 2023, the Austrian authorities provided that the Schengen borders may very well be dropped for air site visitors with Bulgaria and Romania if Brussels in return strengthened the EU's exterior borders by means of stricter border controls. New members can solely be accepted unanimously. Romania and Bulgaria had been ready for the choice since 2011.
Romania and Bulgaria had already joined the EU in 2007. Until September, the judiciary and the rule of legislation there have been below particular surveillance by the EU Commission because of rampant corruption and arranged crime. Because of those issues, there was no unanimity among the many heads of state and authorities for accession for a very long time. In mid-September, the authority formally ended the particular surveillance and stated Romania and Bulgaria had been prepared for membership.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the choice as a historic second. “This is an important step forward for both countries and for the Schengen area as a whole. (…) Thanks to you, the Schengen area will become even stronger for the benefit of all EU citizens,” it stated in a press release.
The Schengen space is meant to make sure unrestricted motion of individuals in Europe. It now contains 25 of the 27 EU member states in addition to Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Romania and Bulgaria had been ready to affix Schengen since 2011.
https://www.welt.de/politik/ausland/article250816420/Rumaenien-und-Bulgarien-treten-Schengen-Raum-bei-Kontrollen-an-Flughaefen-fallen-weg.html