European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has urged Bulgaria and Romania to complete their journey toward full Schengen membership, emphasizing the importance of eliminating border checks between the two countries. In a letter addressed to EU leaders ahead of an upcoming summit, she described the complete removal of checks at their land borders as a significant demonstration of the Schengen area's resilience and flexibility.

In her communication, von der Leyen outlined a strategy to address illegal migration and combat human trafficking, positioning migration as a potential hybrid threat. She indicated that the European Commission plans to introduce new regulations aimed at facilitating the expulsion of illegal migrants.

Additionally, Brussels intends to collaborate with the countries of origin to prevent unauthorized departures and enhance avenues for legal migration within the European Union. Von der Leyen's call for progress comes at a critical time for the bloc as it seeks to reinforce its migration policies.