EU Council agrees to lift air and maritime internal border controls with Romania and Bulgaria
EU member states have reached an agreement on removing air and maritime internal border controls with Bulgaria and Romania. The decision (COUNCIL DECISION on the full application of the provisions of the Schengen acquis in the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania) has been taken by unanimity, following a written procedure.
From 31 March 2024, there will no longer be checks on persons at EU internal air and maritime borders between Bulgaria and Romania and the other countries in the Schengen area. This date corresponds with the change of the winter/summer schedule set by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Following this first step, a further decision should be taken by the Council to establish a date for the lifting of checks at internal land borders.
According to the Decision, From 31 March 2024, checks on persons at internal air and sea borders with and between Bulgaria and Romania shall be lifted and the provisions of the Schengen acquis referred to in the Annex shall apply to Bulgaria and Romania between themselves and in their relations with the Kingdom of Belgium, the Czech Republic, the Kingdom of Denmark, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Republic of Estonia, the Hellenic Republic, the Kingdom of Spain, the French Republic, the Republic of Croatia, the Italian Republic, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Poland, the Portuguese Republic, the Republic of Slovenia, the Slovak Republic, the Republic of Finland and the Kingdom of Sweden, as well as Iceland, the Principality of Liechtenstein, the Kingdom of Norway and the Swiss Confederation. The Council shall endeavour to take a decision lifting checks on persons at internal land borders. That decision shall be taken by the Council acting by unanimity in accordance with Article 4(2) of the 2005 Act of Accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania.
Also, national short-stay visas issued by Bulgaria and Romania before 31 March 2024 shall remain valid during their period of validity, for the purpose of transit through the territory of other Member States or intended stays on their territories not exceeding 90 days in any 180-day period, in so far as they have recognised such short-stay visas for those purposes, in accordance with Decision No 565/2014/EU. The conditions set out in that Decision shall apply.
For the remaining parts of the Schengen acquis, which include the lifting of controls at internal borders and related measures, the Council decides unanimously on their application after it has been verified, in accordance with the applicable Schengen evaluation procedures, that they fulfil the necessary conditions.
