Romania and Bulgaria become fully fledged members of the Schengen area as land border checks lifted

The combined 25 cardinal residents of Bulgaria and Romania present articulation astir 450 cardinal EU citizens who already person the state to determination astir the Schengen zone, aft onshore borderline checks were officially lifted.

It had been a long clip coming, arsenic the 2 countries archetypal joined the European Union seventeen years agone - and negotiations to participate the Schengen Area began successful 2011.

When the European Commission gave the greenish airy to the countries successful December, it marked an important awesome to citizens of the 2 countries that they could present consciousness similar afloat fledged members of the European Union.

No much queues astatine borders

The Schengen zone was archetypal established successful 1985 and present includes 29 countries, astir of which are EU nations, arsenic good arsenic immoderate non-EU countries, including Iceland and Switzerland.

Until today, residents of the countries person had to queue for agelong periods of clip astatine the 30 onshore borders betwixt Romania and Bulgaria arsenic they awaited authoritative checks.

For Bulgarians and Romanians, this means that they volition present beryllium capable to drive to France, Spain and Norway without a passport. Drivers and passengers nary longer request to amusement immoderate individuality documents, and cars whitethorn walk without control.

However, astatine slightest for the archetypal six months, random checks volition beryllium carried retired connected travellers astatine the borderline to deter transgression activities, with a peculiar absorption connected larger vehicles.

It whitethorn besides mean that much Europeans sojourn Romania and Bulgaria too, bringing with it a new generation of tourists.