Romania and Bulgaria are set to become full members of the Schengen Zone starting January 2025, according to Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu.  

Ciolacu made this statement after discussions with Hungarian authorities, as Hungary currently holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.  

Meanwhile, on November 18, 2024, Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner met with Romanian Interior Minister Cătălin Predoiu in Vienna.  

The meeting was part of preparations for the November 22 gathering of interior ministers from Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Austria. The agenda will focus on external border security and combating organized human trafficking.

The upcoming meeting also aims to develop a joint package and take additional measures following Romania and Bulgaria’s partial membership to Schengen.

Romanian PM Marcel Ciolacu said that the Dutch parliament, which had previously opposed the accession of Bulgaria to Schengen, will need to approve the document.

But we already have an agreed calendar. It will happen from January 1, 2025. Those who come home for the holidays will leave much easier after.
-Prime Minister of Romania, Marcel Ciolacu

Netherlands and Austria Approve Full Schengen Membership for Romania and Bulgaria

On January 1, 2007, Romania and Bulgaria submitted applications to join Schengen. On the same day, the two Balkan nations joined the European Union.

Austria opposed the process, citing irregular migration issues, even though Bulgaria has met the technical requirements for Schengen membership since 2011. The Netherlands likewise opposed Bulgaria's entrance.

The Dutch government did, however, present a resolution to the parliament in December 2023 endorsing Sofia's entry into the Schengen Area.

Austria, however, prevented the two nations from joining the EU's borderless zone. However, these two nations were given partial admission under its "Air Schengen" plan.

Romania and Bulgaria entered the Schengen Area by air and sea on March 31, 2024, but not through land borders.

Last month, Austria’s Minister of the Interior, Gerhard Karner, said that time has yet to arrive for full Schengen accession for Romania and Bulgaria.

However, a recent report from the Austrian newspaper Kurier said that Vienna will be paving the way for land border accession for Romania and Bulgaria by spring 2025.

Recently, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) called on the European Union Council to set a date for full Schengen accession.