CNN
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Bulgaria and Romania have officially joined the European Union’s border-free Schengen area following the elimination of land border controls within the bloc.
The expansion was inaugurated at midnight on Wednesday and was celebrated at various border posts in the two nations.
“Welcome to Schengen, Bulgaria and Romania!” stated the European Parliament in a post on X platform on Wednesday.
“Effective today, there will be no more inspections when crossing land borders between Bulgaria or Romania and any Schengen member nation,” it further mentioned.
At the stroke of midnight, the interior ministers of Bulgaria and Romania ceremoniously lifted a barrier at the Danube Bridge, as reported by Reuters. That crossing, also referred to as the Friendship Bridge, links the two countries and serves as a crucial transit route for international commerce. Fireworks were also ignited near the Bulgarian town of Ruse, where the bridge enters the country.
The two prior communist nations partially entered the Schengen area in March when they abolished checks on air and sea travel. Nevertheless, negotiations surrounding land border controls persisted.
Last month, the last barrier to full membership was lifted after Austria rescinded a veto it had maintained, asserting that further actions were necessary to curb irregular migration, as reported by Reuters.
The European Commission has previously endorsed the enlarged Schengen area, characterizing it as bolstering “the EU’s strength as a Union, both internally and on the global stage.”
The area now includes 25 out of the 27 EU member nations, excluding Cyprus and Ireland. It also comprises Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.
According to the European Commission, it facilitates the unrestricted movement of over 425 million EU citizens, along with non-EU nationals residing in or visiting the bloc.
It likewise allows citizens within the bloc to travel, work, and reside without needing special formalities.
The Schengen zone stands as the largest area of free movement globally, according to the commission.
This system has at times caused tensions among its member nations, particularly concerning critical issues such as security and migration.
In September, Germany opted to temporarily reinstigate controls along all its land borders as part of a crackdown on migration.
Member nations possess the authority to temporarily reinstate border checks at internal borders in response to a serious threat to public policy or internal security.