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News from Brussels
The European Union has decided to lift internal land border checks with Bulgaria and Romania starting 1 January 2025.
The decision builds on a previous Council resolution from December 2023, which allowed for the removal of checks at air and sea borders from 31 March 2024.
Bulgaria and Romania have been partially applying the Schengen legal framework, known as the Schengen acquis, since joining the EU. This includes measures such as external border controls, police co-operation, and use of the Schengen Information System. However, the lifting of internal border controls had remained pending.
Schengen, the world’s largest free-travel area, was established in 1985 and now encompasses 29 countries, including 25 EU member states and four non-EU nations: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. While Ireland is not part of Schengen, border checks also remain in place with Cyprus.
Romania’s accession to the Schengen Area is expected to unlock substantial economic opportunities for its road transport sector. The National Union of Road Transporters of Romania (UNTRR) estimates that Romanian hauliers suffered losses of €22 billion during the 13 years and 9 months spent waiting for full Schengen membership. In 2023 alone, the road transport industry contributed €7.82 billion to Romania’s service exports, underscoring its importance to the national economy. With Romania ranking 6th in the EU transport market and 3rd in cross-trade and cabotage operations, the potential for growth is significant. However, realizing these benefits will depend on political decision-makers and authorities implementing measures to reduce border delays and ensure fair competition in the road transport sector.