Romania and Bulgaria to Join EU's Schengen Zone for Air and Sea Travel in March 2024

The agreement comes after Austria, which had previously blocked their entry due to immigration concerns, reached a compromise with the two countries.

Romania and Bulgaria have reached an agreement with Austria to join the European Union's passport-free Schengen zone for air and sea travel starting in March 2024.
The agreement was reached on December 23 and confirmed by Romania's interior ministry.
Austria had previously blocked Romania and Bulgaria's entry into the Schengen zone due to concerns over illegal immigration.
The opening of land borders will be discussed in the coming year, with Romania's Prime Minister expressing optimism about these negotiations.
The Schengen area, established in 1985, currently comprises 23 of the 27 EU member countries, along with Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.