Schengen Information System

EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson praised the revised Schengen legislation and hailed the forthcoming accession of Bulgaria and Romania to Schengen as significant progress. Speaking on Tuesday during the presentation of a report on the state of Schengen, Johansson emphasized the importance of strengthening the European border agency Frontex.

The European Parliament's Petitions Committee is set to vote on a resolution advocating for the full acceptance of Bulgaria and Romania into the Schengen Area.

The Council of the European Union's decision to welcome Bulgaria and Romania into the Schengen zone by air and water starting March 31, 2024, has been formally published in the Official Journal of the EU. This momentous announcement marks a significant milestone for both nations, signifying their long-awaited accession into the Schengen community.

In a momentous announcement on December 30, the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU confirmed Bulgaria and Romania's entrance into the Schengen area through air and sea routes, effective March 31, 2024. This landmark decision, made unanimously via written procedure, signals a significant step toward streamlined travel between these nations and Schengen member states.

Bulgaria has met the conditions to join Europe's passport-free Schengen area by strengthening its borders and efforts to combat illegal migration, the Netherlands said Friday, as Sofia took one step closer to joining.

New conditions for Schengen. Vienna wants increased border control between Bulgaria and Romania, as well as sending Austrian advisers to work with teams at the airports in Bucharest and Sofia. It is also a condition that Romania and Bulgaria accept Afghans and Syrians seeking asylum.

Following the Turkish delegations' call to solve visa-related problems, especially faced by Turks, the General Assembly of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has approved a resolution envisaging reform in the Schengen Information System (SIS).

Türkiye presented a report on the visa difficulties experienced by Turkish citizens when entering European Union member countries to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

Schengen visa refusals to Turkish citizens rose from 4 percent in 2014 to 12.7 percent in 2020, according to the report.

Brussels – European Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson will start a two-day visit to Slovenia on Thursday to discuss the country’s EU presidency preparations. She intends to raise the issue of media freedom and pluralism as well. Slovenia should not underestimate the risk to its international reputation when it comes to this, Johansson has told the STA.

For now, only Greece and Bulgaria have announced the opening of borders with Serbia.