Bulgaria and Romania have officially joined the Schengen Area, effective from midnight on March 31 2024.
The Schengen Area is a zone constituted of European countries who have abolished their internal borders for free movement of goods, services, and people without customs checks.
This entry is however partial: affecting airports and seaports, land border controls will remain in place due to an Austrian veto concerned with the influx of asylum seekers.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has acknowledged the event, noting its impact on the Schengen Area, now totaling 29 members, including 25 EU states and four associated countries: Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Iceland.
