site.btaDeputy PM Gabriel: Date for Bulgaria's Accession to Schengen for Land Borders to Be Negotiated in 2024

The date for Bulgaria's accession to Schengen for land borders will be negotiated in 2024, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel said during Question Time in Parliament on Friday.

The EU members’ agreement on removing air and maritime internal border controls with Bulgaria as of March 31, 2024, includes setting a date for abolishing checks at land borders in 2024. Bulgaria will participate fully in the negotiations and will have its voting rights, Gabriel explained.

On December 30, 2023, the EU Council announced that the EU member states have reached an agreement on removing air and maritime internal border controls with Bulgaria and Romania as of March 31, 2024. By its decision, the Council committed to work towards the abolition of checks at land borders in the Schengen area, as well. A joint trilateral declaration with Austria outlined Bulgaria's and Romania's commitments to strengthening the functioning of Schengen. Meanwhile, the European Commission (EC) committed to support Bulgaria and Romania in their efforts to guard the EU's external borders. Bulgaria will receive significant financial support from the European Commission, as well as operational and technical assistance from the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) for the Bulgarian-Turkish and Bulgarian-Serbian borders.