After years of Austria vetoing Bulgaria and Romania’s full membership in the EU’s Schengen zone of free movement, Austria’s interior minister has indicated he might be ready to step out of the way. It comes amid continued anxieties over irregular immigration into the bloc, with Austria and other members seeking assurances new entrant countries won’t allow people to enter unauthorized.
Bulgaria and Romania joined the European Union in 2007 and technically joined the Schengen zone – an area of free travel for most member states – in March 2024. This had the caveat, however, of only applying to air and sea borders, meaning people trying to cross into other EU member states via land still encounter checks.
In recent years, both the Netherlands and Austria vetoed this final step. The main reason for this was the apparent increase in irregular migration across the ‘Western Balkans’ route, and concerns that full membership for Bulgaria and Romania might bolster that movement. The EU’s newest member Croatia, on the other hand, received full support in its Schengen membership application.
The Netherlands eventually acquiesced, but Austria held out, provoking tensions with Romania’s government. In 2022, Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis described Austria’s position as “inexplicable.” The deal to allow Romania and Bulgaria’s limited Schengen status was struck in 2023, and now, after a meeting in Budapest with various interior ministers and the EU justice and home affairs commissioner, there is a signal that full membership is on its way.
Though yet to be confirmed, the news is a victory for Hungary, which currently holds the EU presidency. Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has been lobbying on behalf of Bulgaria and Romania, and getting this deal over the line is reportedly a key priority of the presidency.
Austria’s clearing the way for Romania and Bulgaria’s full accession to Schengen comes amid continued tensions over migration. In elections earlier in 2024, the far-right FPÖ saw a historic victory, with a campaign focussed on irregular migration and the need to secure borders. Party leader Herbert Kickl had spoken about wanting to create a ‘Fortress Austria’ and framed migration as a security issue for the country.
Despite the FPÖ’s winning that election, a coalition was formed that excluded them, as none of the other parties were willing to work with them. As a result, Karl Nehammer continued on as chancellor, heading off the possibility of a far-right government, at least for now.
Nehammer’s Interior Ministier, Gerhard Karner, who was reportedly the architect in 2022 of Austria’s veto to Bulgaria and Romania fully joining Schengen, appears to have softened after the Budapest meeting. He has been quoted as praising the two for asserting more control over their borders. The final decision will be taken in December, however, and despite Hungary appearing confident the full Schengen membership will be cleared, Karner declined to give a definitive assurance.
If the two do fully join Schengen, it will likely begin at the beginning of 2025. Bulgaria shares a border with Turkey, meaning that along with Greece, the EU’s ‘frontier’ with Turkey will become longer. Interior ministers are clearly keenly aware of this, as along with talks on Schengen accession, the countries are reported to have discussed a border protection force to patrol that extended border.