EU ambassadors clear the way for Schengen enlargement
Published: Wednesday, Nov 27th 2024, 18:10
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The way is clear for Bulgaria and Romania to be fully admitted to the Schengen area: according to the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union on X, the EU ambassadors "completed the preparation of the Council decision to lift land border controls with Bulgaria and Romania from January 1, 2025" at their meeting in Brussels on Wednesday.
This will allow the responsible ministers to vote at the meeting of the Home Affairs and Justice Council on December 12. Switzerland will also take part in this meeting.
In Council circles, all member states are expected to agree. The interior ministers of Austria, Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary agreed a new border protection package in Budapest last Friday in order to pave the way for the two south-eastern European countries to join Schengen in January.
The Swiss State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) has also spoken out in favor of Bulgaria and Romania joining Schengen in recent years. Switzerland will be able to participate in the meeting in Brussels in December, but without the right of co-determination.
Romania and Bulgaria have been members of "Air Schengen" since March, which means that there are no longer any controls at air or sea borders.
©Keystone/SDA
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