site.btaEU Member States Congratulate Bulgaria, Romania on Schengen Accession

EU heads of state and government congratulated Bulgaria and Romania on joining Schengen by land, the government's press service said on Friday. The European Council meeting in Brussels, attended by caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev, adopted conclusions highlighting the matter.

The Council welcomed the decision to lift checks on people at internal land borders with and between Bulgaria and Romania as of January 1, 2025. European Council President Antonio Costa personally congratulated PM Dimitar Glavchev.

On December 12, the EU Council decided to abolish checks at the Schengen land borders of Bulgaria and Romania effective from January 1, 2025. In late March, checks at the air and sea Schengen borders of both countries were removed following a decision made during the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU on December 30, 2023.