BCCI was Very Glad to Learn the EU Council Decision on Bulgaria's Full Accession to Schengen

The Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry welcomed yesterday's unanimous decision of the Council of the European Union to abolish the control along the internal land borders of Bulgaria and Romania as from 1 January 2025. This important step is the result of the consistent efforts of institutions and non-governmental organisations which took all necessary measures to ensure the smooth application of the Schengen rules.

For Bulgaria, our accession to Schengen has a positive effect on the international reputation of our country and shows the confidence in its capacity to maintain functioning governance and institutions. This is also a signal to potential investors indicating the stability and credibility for our country, which are of key importance when choosing an investment destination.

For businesses, this means lower transport costs and higher security for exporters. In addition, the opportunities for achieving success in the labour market are growing for the countries neighbouring the Bulgarians and this refers, in particular, to the border regions neighbouring Greece and Romania, which are also among the most slowly developing economic parts of our country; and why not vice versa, either – it will be possible for the Greeks and Romanians with suitable skills to travel daily to workplaces in Bulgaria.

Currently, with the accession of Bulgaria and Romania, which are now fully a part of the Schengen area, one more crucial step is taken to build up a strong and cohesive European Union.