Bulgaria and Romania to Join Schengen via Sea and Air on March 31
The EU Council has made a significant decision to remove border controls at sea and air routes with Bulgaria and Romania as of March 31. However, a new decision is still needed to remove controls at land borders, according to the statement made by the Council.
This decision comes after Bulgaria and Romania faced obstacles to their participation in the Schengen area, with the Netherlands, Hungary, and Austria previously blocking their entry.
In a recent development, Hungary warned Bulgaria about increasing transit fees for Russian natural gas reaching the country via the TurkStream pipeline, linking it to its entry into the Schengen area. As a result, Bulgaria abandoned its plan to impose additional transit fees on Russian gas, leading to a breakthrough in negotiations.
The Netherlands, which has opposed the entry of the two countries into the Schengen area due to concerns about immigration and corruption, withdrew its objection in December, citing the fulfillment of certain conditions.
Bulgaria and Romania have announced that an agreement has been reached on their participation in the Schengen area by sea and air, with negotiations ongoing for participation by land.
It is important to note that there are no border controls within the Schengen area, which includes 23 EU member states and non-EU countries like Liechtenstein, Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland, with a few exceptions. This decision to remove border controls with Bulgaria and Romania will further strengthen the Schengen area and promote easier movement across these countries.
