Romania, Bulgaria Agree Partial Schengen Accession with Austria

Following Austria’s “Air Schengen” offer, the countries reached an agreement with Vienna to join the European Schengen area of free movement by sea and air effective March 2024.

The agreement was welcomed by both sides. Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said he was convinced that in 2024 negotiations for land borders would also be finished, and Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov noted that the decision was the outcome of long and complicated negotiations.

Despite fulfilling all the requirements, Romania and Bulgaria have been waiting to gel into the EU’s passport-free travel zone for more than a decade now.

Source: schengenvisainfo.com