Representatives of the European Commission and some member states, including the Netherlands, will visit the country by the end of the week to clarify any additional aspects related to Romania’s application to join the Schengen Agreement, the government announced, according to Agerpres.

Thus, by the end of the week, a mixed group of experts is expected, consisting of representatives of the European Commission, as coordinators, and some member states, as a result of the openness shown by the Romanian authorities to clarify any additional aspects.

• “The visit to Romania, mentioned by European Commissioner Ilva Johansson during the press conference held on the occasion of the presentation of the Communication of the European Commission on the extension of the Schengen area, is a result of the openness demonstrated by the Romanian authorities. to clarify any additional aspects of interest related to Romania’s application of the Schengen acquis. Thus, taking into account the statements of the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and the approval of the submission by the Dutch Parliament, which showed that additional elements are expected before formulating a final decision by the Netherlands on this issue, Romania has expressed its full readiness to receive Dutch experts to make sure of the progress in the areas of interest for the Netherlands, from the point of view of the application of the acquis of the Schengen area,” the government said in a statement.

The new visit, the cited source notes, is also of a voluntary nature, similar to the visit on October 9-11, with the aim of consolidating the argument for Romania’s very good level of preparation in the application of the Convention. The Schengen acquis, a level confirmed, by the way, by the recent Communication of the European Commission and the report of the voluntary visit from October, which became public on Wednesday, November 16.

The European Commission asks the Council to “immediately take the necessary decisions to allow Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia to fully participate in the Schengen area.”

EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said member states must take a “historic decision in the interests of all” to admit Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia to the Schengen area.

The decision on Romania’s accession to Schengen will be taken by the Justice and Home Affairs Council (JAI) on December 8.

On November 10, the European Parliament issued a favorable opinion on the draft Council decision on the full application of the Schengen acquis in Croatia. On October 18, 2022, the European Parliament adopted a resolution proposing to the Council to allow Romania and Bulgaria to join the Schengen area.

We remind you that Romania faces opposition from the Netherlands, and recently from Sweden, whose parliament voted against our country’s admission to the Schengen zone.