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Groundbreaking developments in air and sea transport in South-Eastern Europe will strengthen social cohesion and facilitate travel between Romania, Bulgaria and other Schengen Area countries.
ACI Europe and the European Travel Board today celebrate the first stage of Romania and Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen Area, with the lifting of restrictions at air and sea borders. This important first step will strengthen social cohesion and deepen European integration.
Olivier Jankovec, ACI Europe Director General Said: “The Schengen Agreement is part of the fabric of European air travel, enabling a smoother passenger experience and more efficient operations with faster connection times and streamlined checks. Facilitating travel for EU nationals in Romania and Bulgaria is an important step forward for Europe. It is about furthering integration and promoting equality through the fundamental right to free movement. This development will have a positive economic and social impact on the local community and wider economy.”
Eduardo Santander, ETC Managing Director Said: “Bringing Romania and Bulgaria into the Schengen Area by air and sea is key to facilitating seamless travel for both locals and tourists. This provides a fantastic opportunity to develop tourism in these two lesser-known destinations, benefiting local communities and businesses as well as the wider European tourism ecosystem. We hope this is the start of a swift journey towards full membership and that land borders will soon be lifted. ”
Benefits to the people
The EU’s passport-free travel space is one of the most concrete outcomes of European integration for EU citizens. The Schengen Area facilitates free movement between 27 countries, including 23 of its EU member states. Removing barriers to travel between countries within the zone has reduced waiting times, reduced administrative burden, and created a more seamless travel experience. This is particularly important given the importance of intra-European travel to European airports and destinations.
Integrating Bulgaria and Romania into the Schengen Area by air and sea would be an important step towards improving connectivity between the two countries. This will level the playing field in travel and tourism, allowing travelers to move between Bulgaria, Romania and other Schengen countries without passport or customs checks.
dynamic local market
Airports and air travel will be a key driver of closer integration between the new Schengen countries and the wider community. Air usage trends in Bulgaria and Romania are still quite low compared to the EU average (EU 1.69, Bulgaria 0.87, Romania 0.60), indicating a large untapped potential for air traffic growth. Both countries have also been at the forefront of the industry’s recovery from the coronavirus crisis, recording dynamic growth well above pre-pandemic volumes (January 2024 vs. January 2019: EU -3% , Bulgaria +7%, Romania +4.3%). Joining the Schengen Agreement will provide a further boost while facilitating the recovery of air travel across the EU.
David Ciceo, President of the Romanian Airports Association, Board Member of ACI EUROPE Said: “Already in the remaining months of 2024, Romanian airports are expecting more than 14 million passengers traveling within the Schengen area, which corresponds to around 70% of the total number of passengers. Due to the dynamic growth of air transport in the region, the number is expected to reach almost 21 million in 2025.”
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