The member states of the European Union unanimously approved on Saturday the gradual entry of Romania and Bulgaria into the Schengen area of free movement, after Austria, the last EU-27 country opposing this measure, lifted its veto, Agerpres reports.
The decision regarding entry into the Schengen Area with air and sea borders starting from March 2024 is an important first step, says President Klaus Iohannis.
“This positive stage result is due to the active involvement of all institutions with attributions in the matter, especially the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs”, the head of state wrote on Saturday evening on his Facebook page.
He says that, “in the future, Romania’s priority objective remains to fully apply the Schengen acquis, by completing the last stage, namely the elimination of controls at the internal land borders, as provided by the EU Council Decision adopted today”.
“In order to complete this process, it is necessary to continue the intense institutional and diplomatic efforts, which I will continue to support. The step taken today is one for the benefit of Romanian citizens, which strengthens Romania’s position among the member states, once it has acquired the status of a Schengen country Romania was and remains a security provider, including in terms of the protection of the EU’s external borders,” stated Klaus Iohannis.
Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu declared on Saturday evening that from March air and sea borders will be lifted and Schengen visas will be issued.
“We promised it, we did it! Now it’s official: from March, the air and sea borders will be lifted and we will be able to issue Schengen visas. After 13 years of failures and humiliations, this Government has started a process that is irreversible as of today. Next year we will continue the efforts to definitively close this process!”, Ciolacu wrote on Facebook.
Romania remains dedicated to a strong and safe Schengen Area, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luminita Odobescu, said on Saturday evening.
In a post on page X (formerly Twitter), the head of Romanian diplomacy welcomes the EU Council’s decision to lift controls at the internal air and sea borders for Romania and Bulgaria.
“An important result for the citizens of Romania. Our thanks to all partners and EU institutions for their support. Romania remains dedicated to a strong and secure Schengen area”, the foreign minister wrote.
Later, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) sent, through a press release, that it welcomes the adoption on December 30 of the Decision on the application of the Schengen acquis in Romania and Bulgaria, an objective that the MAE actively supported and promoted through constant political-diplomatic efforts throughout the process of Romania’s accession to Schengen and intensified in the last period.
According to the MAE, this positive development consolidates Romania’s integration process within the European Union and the free movement area, generating direct advantages for Romanian citizens both in the country and abroad.
Thus, starting from March 31, 2024, Romanian citizens will be able to travel freely by air within the European Union and in the Schengen associated states (Iceland, Liechtenstein, the Kingdom of Norway and the Swiss Confederation), given the elimination of controls at the internal air borders between Romania and these states. The controls at the maritime borders are also eliminated, states the MAE.
“At the same time, from the perspective of the aspects of direct interest for the activity of the MAE, we welcome the provisions of the Decision that allow the standardization of the national policy regarding short-stay visas for tourist or business purposes with the EU provisions, another important component of the Schengen acquis that facilitates the free circulation within the EU”, the press release states.
The MAE will continue to actively support the Ministry of Internal Affairs and other national institutions in the efforts to complete the process of full application of the Schengen acquis by eliminating land border controls.
“Through the declarations annexed to the decision of the EU Council, Romania actively contributes to ensuring a functional and integrated Schengen Area, through consolidated measures for the protection of external borders. The MAE thanks the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU, the Member States, the European Commission, the European Parliament and other external partners for the constant support given to Romania”, the press release states.
The Minister of Internal Affairs, Catalin Predoiu, sent a message on Saturday evening thanking all partners for the decision regarding Romania’s entry into Schengen.
“Important news! The EU Council approves the Schengen rules for Romania and Bulgaria starting from March 2024, which cover air and maritime borders. Efforts continue to include land borders. Thank you to all partners!”, Predoiu wrote on the X platform (formerly Twitter).
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Romania has successfully completed the technical evaluation stage provided by the Schengen acquis, the fulfillment by our country of the criteria for accession to the Schengen Area being recognized by the Council’s Conclusions on June 9, 2011.
Previously, on June 8, 2011, the European Parliament favorably approved the draft Decision on the full application of the Schengen acquis in Romania and Bulgaria. The successful completion by Romania of the measures provided for by the Schengen acquis was also confirmed by the European Council (December 13-14, 2012).
In its process towards full accession to the free movement area, Romania has completed a series of technical stages, by obtaining full access to the Schengen Information System (SIS), with the adoption, on August 1, 2018, of a Council Decision in this regard sense, as well as through the adoption on October 12, 2017 of the Decision on the passive access of Romania and Bulgaria to the Visa Information System (VIS), the latter being effectively implemented in 2021.
Most recently, the continuation of fulfilling the conditions for the full application of the Schengen acquis was reconfirmed by the European Commission and by European experts on the occasion of the two voluntary visits to Romania in October and November 2022.
According to the terms of the Decision adopted on December 30, 2023, controls at the internal air and sea borders with the two countries and between them will be lifted as of March 31, 2024.
Also, starting from the same date, the provisions of the Community Visa Code will be fully applied by the two countries. At the same time, the EU Council is making efforts to take a decision to eliminate controls on people at internal land borders.