On January 1, 2025, Bulgaria and Romania will become full members of the Schengen area. From that day on, border controls between these countries and other Schengen members will be completely abolished. This was announced by Hungary, which holds the presidency of the EU Council, following a meeting of EU interior ministers in Brussels, DW reports .
"It is a historic moment to finally welcome Bulgaria and Romania as full members of Schengen," said Hungarian Interior Minister Sandor Pintér. He noted that the move "will benefit not only the citizens of Bulgaria and Romania, but also the EU as a whole."
German Interior Minister Nancy Feser also welcomed the unanimous decision, which the EU thus recognises both countries' achievements in protecting their external borders, she said.
Both countries joined the European Union in 2007. The Schengen area currently includes 29 states, including Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, which are not members of the European Union.
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Cover: Illustrative photo / tvrepublika