EU lets Bulgaria and Romania fully integrate into Europe’s ID-check-free travel zone

Associated Press

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union ministers has agreed to let Bulgaria and Romania fully integrate into Europe’s ID-check-free travel zone known as the Schengen area by lifting land border controls next year. Bulgaria and Romania joined the Schengen area in March after years of negotiations, providing free access for travelers arriving in both countries by air or sea. But land border checks remained in place over concerns that the two countries were not doing enough to prevent migrants from entering without authorization. The EU’s Hungarian presidency posted on X on Thursday that “interior ministers have just adopted a decision to lift internal land border controls with and between Bulgaria and Romania.” Border checks will end from Jan. 1.