Green light for Croatia's entry into the Schengen area, Romania and Bulgaria failed
A green light signal at the border between Croatia and Slovenia, December 8, 2022. AP
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The European Ministers of Justice and the Interior met this Thursday, December 8 in Brussels to talk about migratory flows and also the enlargement of the Schengen free movement area.
Croatia will enter the free movement area from January 1, 2023, announced the Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU.
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The European Ministers of the Interior meeting in Brussels approved the accession of Croatia, which becomes the 27th member of this vast area of free movement.
Croatia entered the European Union in 2013, that is to say after the Romanian and Bulgarian candidacy for Schengen membership, but the former Yugoslav country is now coming to beat Bucharest and Sofia.
The enlargement of Schengen
must be voted unanimously, but Austria
vetoed
this Thursday, December 8 for Romania and Bulgaria, which have been knocking on the door for ten years.
It only accepts Croatia, while the European Commission recommended expanding to three countries, explains our office in Brussels.
Austria, which is facing a sharp increase in asylum applications, fears that the lifting of border controls with these two countries will further increase the arrival of migrants.
The European Commission and Parliament have been calling for a long time to include Croatia, Romania and Bulgaria in this vast area (22 countries of the European Union plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) within which more than 400 million people can travel freely, without internal border controls.
The fate of Romania linked to that of Bulgaria
The Netherlands were also hostile to Bulgaria's entry: “
We need a new report on corruption and human rights;
before that we cannot say yes to Bulgaria
, justifies Eric van den Burg, Dutch Minister in charge of Migration.
We agree with the Commission for Croatia and Romania but we disagree with the Commission for Bulgaria.
For us, it's a yes to Croatia and a yes to Romania.
But Bulgaria and Romania are still linked so if we say yes to Romania and no to Bulgaria, it's a problem.
»
The European Union has in effect decided that the fate of Bulgaria's and Romania's application for Schengen membership will be linked in a kind of “regional package” so to speak.
(
With
AFP)
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