(The fourth paragraph must read “Means of payment”)
BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) – The popular holiday destination Croatia could finally get the green light this Thursday to join the control-free Schengen area. The EU interior ministers are to vote at a meeting in Brussels (10 a.m.) on expanding the network of currently 26 European countries. The situation for Bulgaria and Romania is less promising – their accession to Schengen is likely to fail due to resistance from the Netherlands and Austria. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) is expected to attend the meeting for Germany.
The EU Commission recently pushed for Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania to be included in the Schengen area, between whose members there are usually no stationary border controls. The authority decided in mid-November that the addition of the trio would make the EU safer and more attractive and contribute to greater prosperity. The three countries are already partially bound by the Schengen rules, but internal border controls with them have not yet been lifted.
Huge traffic jams form every summer on the border with Croatia. Now the controls at the land borders could be eliminated at the beginning of 2023, at the airports in March next year. Croatia will also introduce the euro as a means of payment next year.
Austria’s Chancellor Karl Nehammer recently made it clear that lifting border controls with regard to Romania and Bulgaria is currently out of the question for his country. The reason he gave was that too many unregistered migrants were arriving. “That means they crossed an external EU border and still got through in a country like Austria. These security issues must first be clarified,” said the conservative politician.
The resistance of the Netherlands is directed solely against Bulgaria, for example because of constitutional concerns. It takes more time for a decision, said Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
The Schengen area currently includes 22 EU countries as well as Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland and Switzerland. This makes it the world’s largest area of freedom to travel. New members can only be admitted unanimously. In addition, the European Parliament must agree to what has already happened for Croatia, Romania and Bulgaria. Romania and Bulgaria have been waiting for the decision since 2011.
In addition to the Schengen expansion, the meeting also includes the topic of migration and the prospect of a possible increase in people seeking protection from Ukraine next winter./wim/DP/stk