Including Romania and Bulgaria enhances the connectivity and unity of the Schengen Area, benefiting not only travellers but also European businesses and local economies. The move promises to boost tourism and strengthen cross-border relations across Europe by simplifying travel and trade routes.

Austria has long stood in the way of Romania and Bulgaria's full membership in the EU's prized zone of free movement. That appears to finally be changing.

Bulgaria and Romania are one step away from full membership in the Schengen Area, the European Union's borderless travel zone

Hungarian officials say Bulgaria and Romania could become full members of Europe’s Schengen travel zone starting at the beginning of 2025.

Romania and Bulgaria will fully join Europe's open-borders Schengen area from January 2025 after a crucial meeting in neighbouring Hungary on Friday, Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said on Monday.

Romania and Bulgaria are likely to become full members of the Schengen area on Jan. 1, 2025, according to reports from Romanian media on Friday.

This development comes after years of partial inclusion for the two Balkan nations, which joined the European Union in 2007 but only gained limited access to the Schengen Area in March 2023

Romania and Bulgaria may become full members of Europe's borderless Schengen travel zone in January 2025, Hungary said on Friday, adding a final decision would be made at next month's meeting of EU interior ministers.

Austria has dropped its long-standing veto to Bulgaria and Romania joining the passport free Schengen zone, opening the door to their accession next year.

Romania and Bulgaria are expected to fully join the European Union's Schengen area starting Jan. 1, 2025, reports said Friday. The two countries

By Denitsa Koseva in Sofia Austria agreed on November 22 to lift its veto on the full accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the Schengen zone as of January next year, the Hungarian presidency of the Council of the European Union said in a statement.