Romania’s Troubled Journey towards Schengen
Romania’s Troubled Journey towards Schengen

Between Double Standards, Politicisation and Legitimate Claims

Summary/Abstract: In 2007, Romania formally entered the European Union, a pivotal step in its European integration process although long overdue considering the journey of other post-communist countries in Central and Eastern Europe. After the integration, together with Bulgaria, Romania aimed to become a full member of the Schengen Area. During this complex quest to join Schengen, Romania has encountered numerous obstacles. The peak was in December 2022 when Austria vetoed the accession of the two countries in the European Council. Despite Romania’s efforts to meet the technical conditions that were always pointed out to be the main focus of the subsequent rejections, shifting opposing arguments from some Member States led to the final decision being postponed, leading to increasing tension and politicisation. This analysis aims to understand the context of Austria’s veto against Romania’s accession, focusing on the political motivations in public debates among various domestic and EU institutional actors. It covers the debates around Romania’s Schengen rejection in 2011 and focuses on the period from December 2022 to June 2023. The analysis points out how Romania’s Schengen membership turned into a political negotiation among EU states and different EU institutions.

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