From January 1, 2024, residents of Romania and Bulgaria will be able to travel freely to almost all European countries.
With the accession of these two countries, the Schengen area will be expanded to 29 countries, further strengthening borderless cooperation within Europe. The decision was made possible after years of negotiations and the removal of objections from the Netherlands and Austria, who had long resisted due to fears of illegal migration and poor border control.
many obstacles
The accession process of Romania and Bulgaria to Schengen has been dragging on since 2011. The Netherlands and Austria argued for years that the countries were not doing enough to combat corruption, organised crime and strengthen their border controls. This criticism led to repeated blockades, despite support from other EU member states. In recent years, however, Romania and Bulgaria have taken various steps to meet the conditions.
A major breakthrough came earlier this year, when residents of both countries were already able to travel freely via airports and seaports within Schengen. With the final accession on 1 January 2024, border controls for land travel will also be abolished, fully realising the free movement of people.
One of the main reasons why the Netherlands and Austria gave up their resistance is the significant drop in the number of migrants entering Europe via the Eastern European border routes. The border between Austria and Hungary, long a hotbed of illegal migration, saw a drop from 70.000 intercepted migrants in 2022 to just 4.000 in 2023. These figures eventually convinced Austria to withdraw its veto.
border control
In the Netherlands too, declining migration figures and improved cooperation in the field of border control to a change of course. Minister Marjolein Faber, responsible for Asylum and Migration, gave the green light on behalf of the Netherlands, despite opposition within her own party, the PVV.
The enlargement to include Romania and Bulgaria marks an important milestone, but also exposes the vulnerabilities of the Schengen system. Although the area is the world’s largest border-free cooperation area with its 420 million inhabitants, internal border controls are increasingly being temporarily reintroduced. During the coronavirus pandemic and more recently due to concerns about irregular migration, several Member States took measures that put the principles of Schengen to the test.
The Netherlands also decided this week to introduce temporary border controls at the borders with Germany and Belgium. The Marechaussee has deployed extra personnel to combat irregular migration and cross-border crime, although this is a relatively limited deployment: around fifty extra employees have been made available to guard 840 border crossings.
solidarity as a foundation
Despite the challenges, Schengen enlargement remains a powerful symbol of European solidarity. For Romania and Bulgaria, accession is not only a recognition of their reform efforts, but also a sign of confidence in their role within European cooperation. Full integration into Schengen opens the door for their citizens to greater economic opportunities and easier contact with family and friends elsewhere in Europe.
