The only way for Romania to enter the Schengen zone is through proceedings at the EU Court of Justice, said Romanian MEP Eugen Tomac (EPP/PMP), noting the issue is not on the agenda of the EU justice and home affairs meeting in Luxembourg this week.
According to the agenda, the Council will discuss the overall state of the Schengen area based on the Commission’s State of Schengen Report 2023. The Council will also define priorities for the next 12 months and discuss monitoring visa-free regimes.
Despite the promise made by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson during a plenary session of the European Parliament that Romanian and Bulgarian accession to the Schengen area would be a significant objective of Sweden’s presidency, ”the most crucial decision concerning the elimination of borders for Romania and Bulgaria is missing”, says Tomac.
The President of PMP emphasises that the only way for Romania to enter the Schengen area is through a process initiated before the EU Court of Justice.
”It is our right, and we will do justice for ourselves”, he says.
In February, MEP Eugen Tomac filed a case against the Council of the EU before the EU Court based on the Council not accepting Romania as a Schengen area member on 8 December 2022.
As Austria has not changed its position on the enlargement of the Schengen Area, the subject cannot be discussed at the upcoming EU interior ministers’ meeting, where unanimity is required.
(Cătălina Mihai | EURACTIV.ro)
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