Romania can join the Schengen area

Romania, a member of the European Union (EU), could join the Schengen Area this year. This Eastern European country, which also hoped to join the eurozone, could thus become the 28th country in the Schengen area. A blessing for the Algerians who will have a new opportunity to migrate to Europe.

Over the years, the borders between the countries of Europe continued to disappear. The old continent, most of whose countries are grouped within the European Union (EU), now wants to form a unified bloc within the Schengen area. An area free of internal borders between countries, allowing free movement of people, including those coming from outside Europe, including Algerians. All you need to do is get a Schengen visa, issued by one of the member states of this zone.

After the incorporation of Croatia on January 1, 2023, the Schengen Area is now made up of 27 European countries, 22 of which belong to the European Union: Germany, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Croatia, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy , Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, the countries of the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden and Switzerland.

Toward the integration of Romania into the Schengen area this year

Since 1995, the Schengen Agreements have allowed free movement of people and coordinated screenings of travelers within the area made up of these 27 member states. This simply means that the holder of a visa for one of the countries in the Schengen area can go to any other country in the area without any border restrictions. This is the case for Algerians who hold a Schengen visa.

In the face of economic challenges, as well as security, the member states of the European Union want to expand the Schengen Area by integrating new countries. After Croatia, which officially joined the European single currency (euro) and Schengen area on January 1, other EU countries also want to join this common European space.

To date, four EU countries are still not part of the Schengen area. These are Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland and Romania. But the latter country has a good chance of consolidating this space during the current year. Indeed, after last December members of the Council of Europe refused to join the Schengen Area, unlike Croatia, Romania could soon join. Romania’s candidacy received strong support within the Council of Europe. This is the German.

Romania supported by Germany and Spain to integrate Schengen

Indeed, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz conveyed to Romanian leaders his country’s support for Romania’s accession to the Schengen area this year, according to the website. Schengen Germany stands firmly with Romania. It also means Romania’s goal of finally achieving full Schengen membership this year, Schultz said in a joint press release with Romanian President Klaus Iohannis.

Romania also received support from Spain for its accession to the Schengen area. Spanish Foreign Minister Fernando Grand-Marlaska, during his recent visit to Bucharest, the Romanian capital, affirmed his country’s support for Romania and Bulgaria for its accession to the Schengen Area. The Spanish minister said: “We will work as hard as possible to solve this problem, and I am convinced that the official meeting of the Council of Interior Ministers, scheduled for next September, will be the right time to achieve final results.” He will preside over the European Union in the second quarter of this year.