In March, MEP Victor Negrescu paid a working visit to Spain, where he held talks with several Spanish officials about Romania’s accession to the Schengen free movement area.

Spain will hold the six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union from 1 July to 31 December 2023, under the auspices of which it will hold at least two Justice and Home Affairs Councils.

According to the Romanian MEP, one of the most important discussions held in Madrid was with the Secretary of State responsible for European Affairs and the future Spanish Presidency of the EU Council, Pascual Navarro Ríos.

“We have received assurances that Spain is paying close attention to this issue”, said the Romanian representative in the European Parliament, who has initiated several steps to include Romania in the Schengen area since the beginning of his first mandate as an MEP in 2015.

Negrescu, Vice President of the Party of European Socialists, indicated that he had counted on the fact that “the European social-democratic family was the only one that unanimously supported Romania’s accession to the Schengen area and together with the leadership of the Social Democratic Party we decided to continue our efforts”.

The Romanian MEP’s request came in the context of the fact that at the Justice and Home Affairs Council in March, one of the two held by the Swedish Presidency of the EU Council, the subject of Romania’s accession to Schengen was not included on the agenda.

“A new vote must be thoroughly prepared, and it is up to Romania to create a new moment where there is support for such a favorable decision. According to the information I have, the Swedish Presidency of the EU Council is planning a possible vote in June, but this requires more coherence and clearer diplomatic action on Romania’s part”, concluded Victor Negrescu.