Bulgaria - December 2024

On 12 December, the European Council confirmed Bulgaria’s full admission to the Schengen visa-free travel area, effective 1 January 2025, ending most border controls for intra-Schengen travel. This is expected to facilitate foreign travel for Bulgarian citizens and enhance travel, trade, and tourism. In March 2024, Bulgaria was partially admitted to the Schengen area when internal air and sea border controls were lifted. The European Commission first confirmed that Bulgaria had met the technical criteria for Schengen membership in 2011, but its accession was long opposed by Austria and the Netherlands. A 2023 EU fact-finding mission reconfirmed Bulgaria’s readiness for accession, and lauded significant progress in border management and cooperation, migration control, and security measures. The mission report also highlighted strong cooperation with neighbouring countries and with Frontex, Europol and other EU authorities, as well as anti-corruption measures within law enforcement.

Sources: Council of the EU (1), Council of the EU (1), European Commission, Dnevnik, Balkan Insight