Five ways EU gets stronger with its south-eastern member states in Schengen

Sandwiched between two major conflicts – Russia’s war in Ukraine to its east and the conflict in Gaza to its south – the EU needs much unity at home. Sorting out Schengen, the border-free area, could be a good way to show it, writes Cristian Gherasim.

Cristian Gherasim is an analyst and journalist with over 15 years of experience focusing on Eastern and Central European affairs.

Schengen is the pinnacle for freedom of movement within the European Union, the crown jewel of European integration, as the European Commission puts it, allowing people and goods to travel freely between member countries.

Bulgaria and Romania remained stranded at Schengen’s doorstep since becoming EU member states in 2007. With both countries in, there would be things to gain for the region and the European Union by and large.

Firstly, the economy would stand to benefit. Because of border checks and added shipping costs, Romania loses €2 billion annually, according to local shipping companies. Bulgaria’s finance minister argues that the loss from Bulgaria’s delayed membership in Schengen and Eurozone is between 4% and 5% of the country’s GDP.

The European Parliament highlighted the economic burden of keeping both countries outside Schengen. Keeping Romania and Bulgaria out could prove costly for the region and the rest of the EU. Romania is an entry point for grains coming from Ukraine into the EU.

With the Black Sea Grain Deal in taters and Ukrainian ports under bombardment, Romania is pivotal in getting grain out of Ukraine.  Delaying transport across EU borders could impact food supplies, possibly leading to shortages and even price hikes.

Fighting pollution benefits from fully integrating the region into Schengen. In a statement, the European Parliament says that delays at border crossings faced by Romanians and Bulgarians translate into 46,000 tonnes of CO2 emitted yearly. Air pollution doesn’t stay in one place.

A study showed that the total cost of delaying Romania and Bulgaria’s Schengen accession amounts to over 500 thousand tonnes of CO2 emissions or over 600 GWh of electricity produced from coal sources. This hurts the European Union’s climate neutrality goal, which aims for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Better health. Increased pollution leads to health problems. Being admitted into Schengen would limit congestion crossing the border, meaning fewer engines running when waiting in line and thus better air quality.

On the other hand, poor air quality translates into health repercussions for drivers, customs agents and people living near border crossings.

Bulgaria and Romania have some of the highest values of particular matter 2.5 (PM2.5) in the European Union.

The European Environment Agency explains that pollutants such as particular matter suspended in the air can reduce life expectancy, aggravating many chronic and acute respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

Security would receive a boost. Schengen accession of both countries would make more sense for the European Union. It would help manage external borders better by pooling resources. Having all countries in lockstep better secures the EU’s external borders.

With populism on the rise, the EU doesn’t need member states thinking that they have been unfairly treated. With more than a decade of waiting at Schengen’s doorstep, the bid has frustrated Sofia and Bucharest.

This could, in turn, bring about a rise in populist movements and euroscepticism in both countries, creating divisiveness across the entire EU.

Schengen saga in south-eastern Europe

Home affairs ministers of the 27 European Union member states will meet again in early December to decide on Romania and Bulgaria’s bid to join the border-free area.

For Romania and Bulgaria, the Schengen saga began in 2011 when they first got the green light from EU institutions to join but got rejected by some of the member states. The approval of a new Schengen member has to be rubberstamped by unanimity.

Fast forward 11 years and, despite the European Commission and the European Parliament urging all member states to vote them in, confirming that the candidates have fulfilled all technical conditions, Romania and Bulgaria have again been put on the back burner. Their efforts were, this time, quelled by the Netherlands and Austria.

Officials in Bucharest and Sofia cry foul over the veto, vexed by another refusal and accusing Austria and the Netherlands of unfair treatment and double standards.

Bulgaria and Romania hope that this year might be different.

Solutions

What the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting in December should bring to the table is a two-phase entry, meaning that the international airports of the two countries could immediately become part of the Schengen area, followed promptly by the land and sea borders.

Finally, the EU should consider having a more challenging conversation regarding the move from unanimity to the qualified majority in making decisions about Schengen and other policy matters.

After all, it might not be in the EU’s best interest that in a time of war when the Union needs unity and cohesion, a country’s whims prevail against the decisions of all the other member states.