As of January 1, Romania and Bulgaria have become full members of the Schengen Area, which includes the countries of the European Union. This will affect the further development of the economies in the countries.
Points of attention
- The accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the Schengen area will contribute to the economic development of the countries.
- Removing border controls will make it easier for citizens to travel and save time.
- Full membership in the Schengen area could increase the GDP of Bulgaria and Romania by hundreds of millions of euros each year.
- Romania and Bulgaria became the 25th and 26th countries to join the Schengen area, which allows free movement within the European space.
- The Schengen Area was created to facilitate the movement of people and goods by abolishing border controls at the internal borders of the participating countries.
Romania and Bulgaria officially join the Schengen area
As noted, the EU already allowed Bulgaria and Romania passport-free travel by air and sea in March last year.
But both countries have long said that removing controls at land borders is a key factor.
According to an analysis by the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, without queues at the border, the entire population of Bulgaria could save time equivalent to 242,000 days of waiting at checkpoints.
It is estimated that the direct impact of full Schengen membership on Bulgaria, one of the poorest EU members, could be €866 million per year.
The Schengen area will now include 25 of the 27 EU members, plus Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Analysts estimate that accession will boost the GDP of Romania and Bulgaria by at least one percent.
What is known about the Schengen area?
The Schengen Area is a group of European countries that have agreed to abolish border controls at internal borders to facilitate the movement of people and goods.
This zone was created as part of the Schengen Agreement, signed in 1985 in the village of Schengen (Luxembourg).
Within the zone, you can cross borders freely without passport or visa checks. For short-term stays (up to 90 days within a 180-day period), a single Schengen visa is valid, allowing you to visit all countries in the zone.
