Border checks between Bulgaria and Romania officially removed as of July 1

Sofia: Border checks between Bulgaria and Romania have officially been lifted on July 1, as part of the implementation of the Schengen Agreement. The lifting marks the end of the transitional period of heightened control at the internal border, which had remained in place for six months following their accession to the Schengen area by land on January 1, 2025, Novinite reported.

The temporary border regime was the result of an agreement brokered with Austria, which had initially opposed Bulgaria and Romania’s full Schengen entry. As a compromise, Austria demanded that controls on the joint border be extended for half a year, even as the two countries gained access to the Schengen zone by air and sea at the beginning of the year.

The removal of internal controls between the two neighboring countries coincides with the 40th anniversary of the Schengen system. To mark the moment, European commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner visited Bulgaria, where he met with prime minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, according to Sofia-based news agency Novinite.

Commissioner Brunner highlighted that while Schengen remains one of the EU’s core achievements, it now faces serious challenges, including the management of external borders, migration, and smuggling. Meanwhile, border arrangements on Bulgaria’s southern frontier with Greece remain unchanged. Although no formal controls are conducted there, border officers still retain the right to carry out checks when necessary.

Official: Romania and Bulgaria become full Schengen members as of January 1, 2025, With the end of the transitional period, Bulgaria and Romania are now under the same regulations as other Schengen members.