After more than a decade of delay, Bulgaria and Romania are finally ready to join the Schengen area.
From 1 January 2025, checks at the internal borders between Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary will be abolished. This decision follows the EU Council resolution of 12 December 2024, which paves the way for the full integration of Bulgaria and Romania into the Schengen area.
The Bulgarian border police are ready for the final accession, which should take place in a few hours. Travellers will no longer have to stop at border crossings, as the booths where identity documents were previously checked will be dismantled.
As part of its integration into the Schengen area, Romania will close more than 30 border crossing points from 2025 onwards.
However, the two countries have agreed to continue random checks for a six-month transition period. These checks will be carried out on the basis of a risk assessment to ensure security in the Schengen area. | BGNES
Bulgaria and Romania making final preparations before Schengen accession
