MEP Victor Negrescu, Vice-President of the European Parliament, has called on Member States’ interior ministers to approve Romania’s full access to the Schengen area at the upcoming Justice and Home Affairs Council on 13 December.

“Romania will fully join the Schengen area starting next year. After 13 years of waiting, this injustice can finally be corrected. Romanians will be part of Europe without borders if, on December 13, the interior ministers validate the decision regarding our country’s full integration into the Schengen area. Today, I hope this is the last debate here, in the plenary of the European Parliament,” said Victor Negrescu in his intervention during the plenary session.

In this context, the S&D MEP reminded that he has actively advocated for this goal over the past decade, including by launching campaigns such as #RomâniaCereÎnSchengen (2015), supported by 50,000 citizens, and #RomâniiMerităÎnSchengen (2022), supported by 40,000 Romanians.

“Throughout these years of waiting, I have acted consistently, initiating petitions, discussing and convincing European officials, and even changing European legislation. In the last three years, I obtained tens of millions of euros in EU funds for Romania and Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen area. In fact, in the next year’s budget, I included an additional allocation of €10 million for this purpose. I was directly involved in the negotiations that took place, I thank the Commissioner for her effort and involvement, and yes, Romania has proven that it can protect the EU’s external borders. I hope that anti-Europeans do not jeopardize this goal. I thank the Romanians for believing in us and I’m confident that, by the end of the year, this goal will be achieved,” said MEP Victor Negrescu.

Romania and Bulgaria joined the Schengen area on March 31, 2024, but only with a lifting of air and sea border controls, according to an EU Council decision taken at the end of 2023. It was also agreed at the time that full integration, with the lifting of land border controls, would require a later decision.

Thus, following a meeting hosted by the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union on 22 November and attended by the acting European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, Austria dropped its objections to the full admission of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen area, with the decision to be formalized by the end of this year within the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Council.

Ahead of this meeting, the European Parliament reiterated its support for the full accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen Area.