European Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner highlighted that with Bulgaria and Romania’s full accession to the Schengen area on 1 January 2025, Europe now has a continuous open corridor stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Black Sea. In an interview with Agerpres, Brunner described Schengen as one of the EU’s most concrete achievements, noting its direct impact on over 450 million Europeans by facilitating travel, reducing costs for goods, and providing new opportunities for work and study. Beyond these tangible effects, he emphasized the symbolic significance of Schengen, marking four decades of openness in Europe.

Brunner also outlined the economic benefits of the enlargement, pointing to Romania’s potential GDP growth of around 2% per year due to the removal of internal border checks for road transport. The European Commission is currently conducting Romania’s first Schengen evaluation, which examines visa policies and the management of external borders.

The Commissioner highlighted the European Entry/Exit System (EES), recently launched as the digital backbone of the EU’s border management framework, with full implementation expected by April 2026, including at Romania’s border points.

Addressing temporary internal border controls within Schengen, Brunner stressed the EU’s ongoing efforts to reconcile free movement with security considerations. He also discussed broader topics such as the implementation of the Pact on Migration and Asylum and the Commission’s proposals to improve the return of migrants.