Austria’s Interior Minister has hinted at potentially lifting its veto on full Schengen area membership for Romania and Bulgaria following improvements in border protection. For the past two years, Austria has been blocking the full admission of Romania and Bulgaria into the Schengen area, citing concerns about illegal migration. However, recent improvements in border protection have led to a potential change in stance from Austria.
Calls for Romania and Bulgaria to become full members of the Schengen area have been growing, with Austria’s designated EU Commissioner for Migration, Magnus Brunner, advocating for their inclusion. The Ministry of the Interior has indicated that the number of illegal migrations via these countries has significantly decreased, signaling progress in border protection efforts. While Austria has seen improvements in border protection and returns as a result of the veto, the goal remains to push illegal migration towards zero.
Romania MEP Victor Negrescu has expressed optimism about Romania’s Schengen membership, stating that the country is on the ‘final stretch’ towards accession. He outlined three possible scenarios for the timeline of Romania’s inclusion in the Schengen area, with a decision potentially being made this year. Romania’s Prime Minister, Marcel Ciolacu, also believes that Romania could fully enter the Schengen area by spring 2025, with implementation possibly beginning as early as March next year.
The progress in talks on Schengen enlargement has been noted by Austria’s designated EU Commissioner for Migration, Magnus Brunner, who reported positive developments during his hearing in the EU Parliament. An agreement on Romania and Bulgaria’s membership in the Schengen area seems to be on the horizon, with a potential breakthrough expected at a meeting in Hungary on 22 November. This could pave the way for Romania and Bulgaria to join the Schengen area and enjoy the benefits of free movement within the European Union.
