MEP Victor Negrescu took new steps at the beginning of the year to approach the EU institutions and European partners regarding Romania’s accession to the Schengen area.

In order to achieve this important goal for the country, the Social Democrat MEP stresses that Romania’s accession to the Schengen area must be approached “with more professionalism and courage”. “What we are doing as a country in these first months of the year is essential to achieve this goal before the European elections in 2024,” he points out.

Victor Negrescu has therefore taken the following steps with European institutions and Romania’s partners at the beginning of the year:

• has asked Social Democrat Commissioner Ylva Johansson to support Romania’s accession to the Schengen area at the informal meeting of Justice and Home Affairs ministers, the forum that is due to take a decision on the extension of the free movement area: “The relevant ministry must raise this issue at the meeting”;
• has contacted Swedish officials to request that Romania’s accession to the Schengen area remain high on the European agenda: “Negotiations moderated by the Swedish presidency with Austria and the reluctant states must start once the local elections are over”;
• has been in contact with Dutch officials to ensure that the veto on Bulgaria no longer prevents Romania’s accession to the Schengen area: “We must ensure that the Dutch veto does not block Romania, as we are directly involved in supporting Bulgaria”;
• has thanked the Greek Minister of Interior for his support in joining the Schengen area: “We need to develop, together with Greece, a common strategy to convince reluctant states”;
• has contacted political and non-governmental representatives in Austria to seek a change of position from the Austrian right-wing government: “A lobbying and advocacy campaign needs to be launched in Austria with all those who can influence the decision”;
• has discussed with representatives of the Spanish executive, which is to take over the Presidency of the EU Council: “We will pay a working visit to Madrid. Institutional contacts with Spain need to be intensified”;
• has proposed a broad consultation among those interested in defining a national strategy for accession to the Schengen area “as the subject must not be politicised and all competences must be used in Romania’s interest”: “The customisation of accession through the creation of a large negotiating or coordination team must be avoided”;
• has contacted the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, asking for all possible legal means to be used, including challenging Austria’s veto against Romania’s Schengen accession at the Court of Justice of the EU: “All available means must be used to put pressure for a decision”;
• has backed the petition initiated by Romanians to appeal to the Court of Justice of the European Union against the decision to reject Schengen membership. This is due to be debated in the relevant committee of the European Parliament in March: “Citizens must be directly involved and listened to more”;
• has proposed better coordination and collaboration with partners in Bulgaria to take joint action, as the decoupling scenario has failed and the neighbouring country seems to have a more incisive approach: “A common strategy needs to be set and common lines of action defined. It is also worth discussing with our Croatian partners to see how we can approach the task as effectively as they did”.

For all these initiatives to have the desired effect, Victor Negrescu says “it is essential that at national level the stability of the government coalition is maintained, and that those responsible in the Romanian government come off the defensive and take all the necessary steps now, at the beginning of the year, to keep this issue on the European agenda”. “Not just talks, but concrete actions”, stresses the Social Democrat MEP.