Seventeen years after Romania and Bulgaria joined the European Union, they have been given the green light to become members of its border-free Schengen travel zone. The decision by fellow EU member states means that from 1 January 2025,

Romania and Bulgaria are set to fully join the European Union border-free Schengen Area on January 1, 2025, Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament said.

European Union ministers on Thursday agreed to let Bulgaria and Romania fully integrate into Europe’s ID-check free travel zone, known as the Schengen area, by lifting land border controls from next year,