EESC’s support for the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen area

Allow Romania and Bulgaria to join the Schengen area!

Regarding the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen area, the European Economic and Social Committee:

• Reiterates its position, also supported by the European Commission and the European Parliament, that the two Member States fulfil all the conditions for joining the Schengen area, and considers it imperative that the accession formalities be completed quickly;
• Notes the signs of some progress in relation to the possible accession of the two Member States to the Schengen area, as a first step only at air transport level, and encourages the Spanish Presidency, the Council and the Member States to hold an extraordinary meeting of the JHA Council in order to adopt an agreement to that effect by the end of 2023;
• Considers that imposing additional conditions for the two Member States to join the Schengen area, which go beyond the existing treaties and regulations, risks creating confusion between distinct areas such as the area of free movement and irregular migration, complicating political decisions and dangerously disrupting the proper functioning of the EU in accordance with its fundamental values and the principles of the European Convention on Human Rights.

The European Economic and Social Committee has always supported the idea of extending the Schengen area and has encouraged the European institutions and the Member States to provide a legal and political framework for the participation of all EU and EFTA Member States in the widest possible area ensuring full freedom of movement of persons and goods, in accordance with the principles and values of the European Union.