On Sunday, Romania and Bulgaria took a significant step towards integration with the European Union by partially joining Europe’s ID-check-free travel zone. Travelers arriving by air or sea from both countries now have free access to the Schengen area. However, land border checks will remain in place due to opposition primarily from Austria, citing concerns over illegal migration.
The Schengen Area, established in 1985, previously comprised 23 of the 27 EU member countries, along with Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein. With the addition of Romania and Bulgaria, this marks a historic moment for the world’s largest free travel zone.
