Austria announced on Friday its readiness to lift its veto against the full membership of Romania and Bulgaria in the Schengen Area, removing the last obstacle for these two Eastern European nations after a lengthy wait.
Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner remarked that “over the past two years, we have strengthened the protection of our external borders,” noting that “illegal immigration has approached zero” in Austria. His comments came following a meeting in Budapest.
“A significant new step has thus been taken towards a vote on December 12,” he added, referencing the upcoming assembly of European interior ministers, which could finalize the complete accession of both countries by early 2025.
Ministers from the three involved nations convened in Hungary, which currently holds the presidency of the European Union Council until the end of the year, to assess the progress made necessary for Vienna’s approval.
Since 2022, Austria had opposed the expansion of the free movement area, citing what it deemed an unsustainable number of illegal entries into its territory, indicative of dysfunctions at the external borders.
In March, Vienna ultimately accepted a partial membership for Sofia and Bucharest, limited to airports and seaports, while establishing a roadmap for potential expansion to land borders.
