Bulgaria and Romania have met the criteria for joining the border-free Schengen zone established within the EU. The EU Council however has decided to delay the countries’ entry into the Schengen area.

The EU Parliament acknowledged that both Bulgaria and Romania have met the technical criteria for joining the border-free Schengen zone established within the European Union. Despite this fact, the EU Council has decided to delay the countries’ entry into the Schengen area, as not all 26 current member states are in agreement regarding the timing of the accession.

Levels of corruption and organised crime in the two newest member states are causing concern, as such issues might facilitate illegal immigration to the EU.  For this reason, even though Bulgaria and Romania have met requirements (such as training security officers, establishing a special system for monitoring waters and setting up an encrypted satellite telephone network), political approval will be on hold until the two Balkan countries take appropriate measures against crime.

Bulgaria and Romania will have to focus on judicial reform in the upcoming months. Even so, according to media speculation, full accession will probably not be granted before 2012.  Several member countries have suggested a step-by-step accession into the Schengen zone, first by opening up air and sea borders and later land borders.  Until then, Bulgaria and Romania will keep issuing national visas to third country nationals without the right to enter the Schengen area.