The European Parliament’s petitions committee is asking the European Council to approve the admission of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen free movement zone by the end of this year, stressing that the two states continue to meet the accession criteria and that their refusal has created anti-European sentiment and harmed the economy and the environment, according to a press release – the release published on the website of the EU legislative body.

In a resolution adopted on Tuesday with 25 votes in favor, against and abstentions, members of the European Parliament’s Committee on Petitions ask the European Council to vote by the end of 2023 on the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen area. given that both states have already fulfilled the necessary conditions for accession.

They also ask to consider the option of considering the case in the European Court.

The European Parliament is going to vote for this resolution at the plenary session scheduled for July 10-13.

SEE THE DRAFT RESOLUTION HERE

The members of the commission express regret over the Council’s decision of December 8, 2022 to refuse the admission of two states “without presenting any legal justification related to the admission criteria.” A wider Schengen area without border controls would make the European Union stronger, they argue.

What is the price of Romania and Bulgaria being at the door of Schengen?

The fact that Romania and Bulgaria are still outside the free movement zone is a social and economic obstacle for companies and the population of the two states, MEPs also say.

Citizens of Bulgaria and Romania are discriminated against, facing delays, bureaucratic difficulties and additional costs when traveling or doing business abroad compared to their counterparts in the Schengen area, the text said.

Noting the waiting times at border crossings, MEPs show that delays experienced by Romanians and Bulgarians can be several hours or even days – compared to 10 minutes at internal border controls – which also worsens working conditions for truck drivers.

In addition to the damage caused to the single European market by hindering the free movement of goods between EU member states, the text refers to “irreparable damage” to the environment, which does not meet the EU’s climate neutrality goals.

According to MEPs, the health of drivers, customs agents and people living near border points is at risk from increased pollution from thousands of vehicles waiting to cross the border every day, emitting around 46,000 tons of CO2 each year.

The resolution calls on the European Commission to assess the opportunity costs and environmental damage that Romania and Bulgaria have suffered since June 2011 due to the “unjustified refusal” of admission to the Schengen area, and calls on the institution to analyze the possibilities of financial compensation.

The MEPs also state that the current situation is “instrumentalized by anti-European propaganda, including Russian propaganda” and “undermines the EU’s ability to promote its values ​​and good governance in third countries”.

The release reminds that the executive body of the EU – the European Commission – has assessed that Bulgaria and Romania are ready to join the Schengen area, and the European Parliament has repeatedly expressed its support for this membership, most recently in the resolution of October 5, 2022 and the debate of December 14, 2022 (authorship : European Parliament, Agerpres, photo: Dreamstime.com)