Romania and Bulgaria do not yet belong in the Schengen area

Romania and Bulgaria are not ready to accede to the Schengen area. MEP Helga Stevens categorically rejects the European Parliament’s proposal to have both countries immediately become members of the Schengen area. “Bulgaria and Romania must first make urgent efforts to put their houses in order in terms of corruption. An accession to the Schengen area that is too fast will only weaken support for it further. What’s more, this would create a ‘Schengen country bridge’ between Greece and the rest of the Schengen area. Without strong Greek external borders, this can create additional migratory pressure in the other Schengen countries, including Belgium,” Helga Stevens says.

Internal border controls

Today, the European Parliament approved its first annual report on the operation of the Schengen area. In addition to the membership proposal for Romania and Bulgaria, the report is above all critical of countries that are currently carrying out internal border checks. MEP Stevens takes a milder stance: “Countries such as Germany and Austria have for some time now been under serious pressure from the migration flows from the Balkans and Greece. This is why we support Member States that wish to amend the Schengen Borders Code in order to make it possible to carry out more efficient and effective checks if the need arises.”

More secure with reinforced external borders

Of course, the various terrorist attacks that have ravaged Europe in recent years also play a role. Helga Stevens: “Once someone is within the Schengen area, that person can in principle travel around freely. It is therefore incomprehensible that the Parliament is criticising the systematic checking of EU citizens at external borders. This is how we are able to intercept returning Syrian fighters, for example. The European Parliament would be better off turning its attention to strengthening, not loosening, our external borders further. This is necessary for the security of our citizens.”