Romania and Bulgaria have officially joined the Schengen zone after a 13-year wait, expanding the area to 29 members and eliminating border checks at ports and airports.
The entry was facilitated by Austria dropping its objections following a deal on migration management and border protection, addressing long-standing concerns about undocumented migration.
The accession is expected to boost the economies of both countries, increasing their GDP by approximately one percentage point and improving conditions for transport and trade.
Enhanced travel freedom is anticipated to increase tourism from Romania and Bulgaria to Greece, benefiting local economies in the region.
Today, the Schengen area covers over 4 million square kilometres with a population of almost 420 million people, and includes 29 countries. Ireland and Cyprus are the only EU members not part of Schengen.
