Description
Added on the 08/12/2022 20:44:55 - Copyright : AFP EN
The war in Ukraine has accelerated the need for Brussels to stabilise its eastern borders.
The European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, congratulates Croatia on joining Europe's border check-free Schengen area but expresses disappointment after accession bids by Bulgaria and Romania were blocked in an EU ministers' meeting."You deserve to be full members of Schengen, you deserve to have access to the free movement in the Schengen area," she says. SOUNDBITE
Austria on Thursday said it will veto the EU's two poorest members Romania and Bulgaria joining the bloc's Schengen visa-free zone, dashing their decade-long bid. Decisions on Schengen enlargement have to be taken unanimously. The EU ministers were expected to approve Croatia joining Schengen, which would expand the area to include 23 of the EU's 27 member states, plus Switzerland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland. FRANCE 24's International Affairs Editor Armen Georgian tells us more.
Austria argues a new influx of asylum-seekers through the Western Balkan route is reason enough to postpone Schengen enlargement.
The European Commission has urged member states to accept the three candidates in the passport-free area.
|
Support : Technical 
- Content 
- Editors 
