Romania and Bulgaria Join Schengen Zone

• 18 Dec 2024

Source: TH 

Why in News?  

Bulgaria and Romania will join the European Union's Schengen zone on 1st January 2025. Both nations, which have been EU members since 2007, will finally be able to join the borderless area, allowing for seamless travel and movement across Europe.  

What is the European Union's Schengen Zone? 

• About: The Schengen Zone is named after a small village in Luxembourg, where the Schengen Agreement (1985) and Schengen Convention (1990) were signed. 
  • These agreements abolished internal border checks between participating countries, allowing for free movement of people across most EU states and some non-EU countries.  
  • The Schengen Area is the world's biggest area without internal border controls, and now covers 29 countries (25 of the 27 EU member states (excluding Cyprus and Ireland), as well as four non-EU countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland). 
• Key Features of the Schengen Zone: 
  • Free Movement: The Schengen Area guarantees free movement for over 425 million EU citizens and non-EU nationals legally residing in or visiting the EU.  
    • By abolishing internal border checks, it allows seamless travel, living, and working across participating countries. 
    • A uniform visa policy allows short-term stays of up to 90 days for tourists, business travelers, and other visitors. 
  • Cross-Border Cooperation: The Schengen Area includes provisions for police cooperation, judicial collaboration, and the Schengen Information System (SIS) to ensure security. 
    • SIS is the most widely used and largest information sharing system for security and border management in Europe. 
  • Temporary Border Controls: In exceptional circumstances, countries can temporarily reintroduce border controls for security reasons, but they must inform other member states and the European Commission. 
  • Schengen Evaluation: Countries wishing to join the Schengen Area must meet specific criteria, including effective border control, visa issuance, and law enforcement cooperation. 

Key Facts About Bulgaria and Romania 

• Bulgaria: 
  • Capital: Sofia. 
  • Geography: Bulgaria is located in the Balkans in Southeastern Europe. It borders the Black Sea and lies between Romania and Turkey. 
    • Bulgaria is bounded by Romania to the north, Turkey and Greece to the south, North Macedonia to the southwest, and Serbia to the west.  
  • Political System: Parliamentary Republic. 
  • Foreign Relations: Bulgaria is a member of the United Nations (UN), North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the European Union, and the Schengen Area.   
• Romania:  
  • Capital: Bucharest. 
  • Geography: Romania is bounded by Ukraine to the north, Moldova to the northeast, the Black Sea to the southeast, Bulgaria to the south, Serbia to the southwest, and Hungary to the west. 
  • Political System: Semi-Presidential Republic. 
  • Foreign Relations: Romania is a member of the UN, NATO, EU, Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).