London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jun 23, 2025

Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania ‘ready’ for visa-free travel zone, European Commission says

Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania ‘ready’ for visa-free travel zone, European Commission says

EU home affairs ministers will now consider the issue in December.
Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania “are ready to join” Europe’s visa-free travel area, European Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said Wednesday.

The countries — all EU members — have “strongly proven” they can meet the conditions needed to participate, she added, following a meeting of EU commissioners.

Each country has been working for years to gain acceptance to the free-travel Schengen zone, which can open up benefits for the countries involved by facilitating the movement of both tourists and residents.

Johansson said the trio had done the necessary work, including improving border management, ensuring cross-border law enforcement cooperation and adopting the uniform Schengen visa.

After Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania, Cyprus and Ireland are the only other EU countries not part of the Schengen zone.

Not all EU countries are thrilled with the three entering the free-travel club, with members like Sweden expressing concerns about organized crime and corruption in the countries. But the European Parliament has been leaning on the EU to act.

The European Commission’s endorsement is meant to put momentum behind the trio’s bid to join Schengen.

Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas told POLITICO on Tuesday that the Commission wanted “to dissipate any doubt as to whether Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania are fit to join.”

Johansson said the issue will next go to EU home affairs ministers, who are expected to discuss the issue at a meeting on December 8.

“I expect the member states to take this important historical positive decision, a moment of great pride for the citizens of these countries, and most importantly, a decision in all our interest,” Johansson said.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
×