The accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen area has been on the agenda of the Justice and Home Affairs Council (JAI) since December 5, exactly as it was on the agenda of the JAI since December 2022, when Austria blocked Romania’s entry into the European Free Circulation. The topic was returned to the agenda, although Vienna has repeatedly stated that it has not changed its position.

The announcement of the inclusion of this issue on the agenda of the JAI Council was made by MEP from USR Vlad Gheorghe:

• “Now in Brussels: the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen area on the agenda of the JAI Council from December 5!
• The mention on the Council’s agenda is almost identical to last year’s, as the meeting, which Austria vetoed, left us in Europe’s queues for another year. This is the last train for our country. It remains to be seen whether all the pressure from the Commission, the Parliament, each of us will work and Romania will become part of the free European circulation space, as it deserves since 2011. “.