The European Council agreed to lift controls at air and sea borders in Bulgaria and Romania in March, and the first flight has now taken place, paving the way for the two countries to officially join the Schengen area.

‌Key Points:

• As of March 31, there are no longer checks on persons at EU internal air and maritime borders between Bulgaria and Romania and the other countries in the Schengen area.
• Non-EU/European Economic Area nationals may now consider travel in Romania and Bulgaria as time spent toward their total stay in the Schengen area. According to the 90/180-day rule, non-EU/EEA nationals can only stay in the Schengen area for a maximum of 90 days within any 180-day period.
• The European Council is currently in the process of establishing a date to lift checks at internal land borders, which is expected to be announced within a reasonable time frame after air and maritime border checks are lifted.

Background: The Schengen area comprises 27 countries and extends over 4 million square kilometers with a population of almost 420 million people. With Bulgaria and Romania, the Schengen area will grow to 4.5 million square kilometers with a population of 450 million. In the European Commission announcement, officials stated that voluntary fact-finding missions in 2022 in Bulgaria and Romania, and the latest mission in 2023 in Bulgaria, reinforced their readiness to now join the Schengen area.

BAL Analysis: Border checks will continue to apply for land-based travel between Bulgaria or Romania and Schengen area countries. The Schengen area is an important component of the EU’s legal framework, and an enlarged Schengen area should spur economic growth and increase travel opportunities. The change should also be significantly positive for Bulgarian and Romanian nationals who now have additional access to the world’s largest free travel zone.