We checked all the technical conditions at the borders, the mechanism of cooperation and verification was canceled. What else can be blamed? That we don’t have a limit?” said Dragos Petrescu, president of the Romanian Business Leaders, referring to the fact that Austria opposes Romania joining Schengen.

Dragos Petrescu, RBLSPhoto: Hotnews

“Romania cannot solve all the internal political problems of some member states, nor the possibly ineffective policy of the EU to stop illegal immigration. Romania cannot be the “peacock tick” of Europe,” he said.

According to the RBL press release, the vote for Romania’s accession to Schengen is a few days away, and Romanian entrepreneurs are surprised to read that Austria seems to oppose our accession, despite the proximity between the two countries.

What unites us with Austria? Seems like a lot of things because:

  • Around 370,000 Romanians visit Austria every year, spending around €250 million;
  • The economic exchange between Romania and Austria in 2021 amounted to 4.5 billion euros, of which 1.7 billion were exports and 2.8 billion were imports;
  • Austrian investment ranks second in Romania, with approximately €5.3 billion in direct investment and more than 8,000 companies with Austrian capital.

“Then what is the anger of Austria, why does it not want us in Schengen? We are told that the anger stems from the wave of migrants that has flooded Austria, despite the fact that, according to an October 2022 European Commission report, Romania’s contribution to the wave of immigrants is zero, and Serbia is the gateway for immigrants via Hungary to Austria. reports RBL.

Austria has been the cradle of civilization for Romania for hundreds of years, the release states.

“This in many ways supported our development. At the same time, Romania is a factor of stability in the region and can support the economic development of Europe due to access to the Black Sea,” RBL notes.

  • The Romanian economy needs free borders to the common European market. On the brink of a major global recession, obstacles at the European border will sabotage Romanian entrepreneurs’ efforts to resist.