Romania Could Soon Become Part Of The Schengen Area

The Schengen Area is the World’s largest border free area, and it currently includes 26 Member States plus 4 de facto Member Countries. Croatia, EU Member since 2013, has already be confirmed to meet all requirements of the Schengen Aquis and is therefore bound to become part of the Schengen Area by 2024.

A similar development could soon take place for Romania who joined the European Union in 2007, alongside neighbouring country of Bulgaria, and whose Schengen Membership application seems to be close to a major turning point.

Cvm Report On Romania

When Romania became part of the European Union the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism was set up so as to monitor the improvements the Country would make in Areas such as curruption control and judiciary reform.

The CVM report on Romania is expected to be published in the next few months and, according to official sources from inside the local government, there is a widespread perception that the outcome of such report could be positive and therefore trigger the last stages that lead to Romania’s induction into the Schengen Zone. Members of the European Commission as well have been confirming that all the data lead towards an imminent greelight towards Romania’s Schengen Membership.

Schengen Membership Acceptance Protocol

The official talks between Romanian and European institutions on this matter started in 2011 and, if the CVM report will give positive feedback on the improvements made on, among others, border policies and safety, judicial system reform and corruption elimination, it could soon lead to Romania becoming an official Member of the Schengen Area. Not yet being part of the border free travel area Romania currently is allowed to enforce immigration rules and visa policies that might differ with those applied in the 26 Schengen Nations; still, as sign of its close collaboration with EU authorities, Romania already granted the right to enter its territory without the need for a Romanian National Visa to all those visitors that already possess a valid Schengen Visa.

When Will Romania Join The Schengen Area?

An exact data has not yet been established but, if the CVM report will return with a positive evalutation, it is likely that the Repulic of Romania’s induction in the Schengen Area could already happen in 2023.

How Would Schengen Membership Change Romania’s Border Regulations?

Up to this day, being a Member of the European Union but not yet part of the Schengen Area, Romania applies its national border rules and visa policies that are not under the control of the European Mutual Authorities. This could soon change since it is set to soon become part of the Schengen Area. This means that starting from such imminent induction Romania border policies will be aligned with those in place in the 26 Nations that have already subscribed the Schengen Aquis. As a matter of fact, all border controls for incoming and outgoing persons, capitals and goods coming from/going towards other Schengen Member Nations will than be no longer be applied. On the other hand, Romania’s borders (sea, land and airside) would become subject to the provisions listed in the Schengen Aquis to all incoming visitors from non-Member Nations. This means that Romania too could soon become one the States to require an ETIAS Visa Waiver to visitors with a passport from any of the 60 Visa Waiver Countries. Becoming part of the ETIAS Area is expected to boost Romania’s attractiveness to foreign visitors and investor and by that to sponsor economic and cultural growth that would gradually benefit the entire Country. Also, since Romania shares its border not only with other EU / Schengen Countries but also to non-EU nations such as Moldova, Serbia and Ukraine, its instutions, while coordinating with the European one’s, will inevitably have to make remarkable investments to improve and perfect the security of its external borders that will indeed soon become in part those of the very Schengen Area itself.

Etias To Romania

Schengen Membership acquisition would automatically turn Romania into an ETIAS destination Country. Hence, when its induction will be finalised the Romanian land, air and seaborders will all become potential entry ports into the ETIAS Area. Entering ETIAS Area through Romania will therefore work like accessing the Area from any other Member Country and the clauses that limit ETIAS eligibility according to Nationality of the Visitor, duration of stay and purpose of the journey will be in place in Romania like in all other Schengen States.
Which Travellers Will Need An Etias?

Romania To Also Join Eurozone

Another important feature that characterizes many Nations part of the European Union is the use of a common currency called Euro. Romania is not yet part of the Monetary Union as still uses its own national currency called Leu but has been moving concrete step towards the adoption of Euro. As a matter of fact, Romanian Prime Minister recently declared that the Country could become part of Eurozone by 2025 and subsequently be able to adopt Euro presumably from 2027.

More Schengen Candidate Nations

There currently are 5 EU Member States that do not participate in the Schengen Aquis. These Nations are Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, and the Republic of Ireland (EIRE). Among such Countries, Ireland is the only one whose EU Membership conditions allow the right to self determine whether to join or not the border-free travel zone. This means that the other EU Members of Croatia, Romania, Cyprus, and Bulgaria are bound to become one day part of the Schengen Zone and as a consequence to comply with the Schengen Aquis. Croatia has already been declared fit to become Schenghen Area Member and should join the border free travel zone in 2024. Romania, as stated above, is also moving concrete steps towards its Schengen Membership. A similar situation is in place for Bulgaria who has been favourably voted to join Schengen Aquis by the European Parliament in 2018. Cyprus has formally started the process leading to full membership in 2021 and will than have to wait a few more years before its induction could happen due to bureaucratic timings.