Romania and Bulgaria Join Schengen Airspace

As of March 31, Romania and Bulgaria, EU members since 2007, partially join the Schengen Area, allowing for borderless air and sea travel, with road checks until late 2024.

Romania and Bulgaria Join Schengen Airspace

Starting from Sunday, March 31, Romania and Bulgaria, two of the European Union countries that were not part of the Schengen Area, have now been integrated into it. This partial accession allows for unrestricted air and sea travel to and from any other European country within the Schengen Zone, eliminating the need for border controls and document checks at airports and ports. However, road border checks will remain in place until at least the end of 2024.

This move marks a historic moment for the Schengen Area, known as the world's largest zone of free movement, according to EU sources. The inclusion of Romania and Bulgaria, both EU members since 2007, expands the Schengen Area to 29 members. This group consists of 25 EU countries, in addition to four non-EU countries that have also joined the space: Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.

Following this expansion, only two EU countries remain outside the Schengen Zone: Ireland and Cyprus. The Schengen Area now comprises Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Slovenia, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic, Romania, Sweden, and Switzerland.

The inclusion of Romania and Bulgaria into the Schengen Area is seen as a significant step towards furthering European integration and promoting freedom of movement within the EU.