In a significant move after a 13-year wait, Bulgaria and Romania have officially become partial members of Europe's vast Schengen area of free movement. This development allows for travel by air and sea without border checks, symbolizing an important milestone for both countries and their place within the European Union.

The official entry into the Schengen area took place on March 31, 2024, as travelers at Otopeni's "Henri Coanda" international airport witnessed the installation of new signs pointing to Schengen and non-Schengen areas. However, the implementation of the new status will not extend to land routes due to a veto by Austria, which expressed concerns over a potential influx of asylum seekers.

Although the partial membership is a significant achievement, the lifting of controls at air and sea borders holds great symbolic value. Stefan Popescu, a foreign policy analyst, noted that admission to Schengen is a "question of dignity, of belonging to the European Union" for Bulgaria and Romania. The removal of separate lanes for these two countries' citizens further solidifies the sense of equal treatment within the European community.

The partial integration into Schengen brings benefits for travelers like Ivan Petrov, a Bulgarian marketing executive living in France. He expressed enthusiasm for less stressful travel and the time saved. EU Chief Ursula von der Leyen hailed the milestone, stating, "This is a great success for both countries, and a historic moment for the Schengen area -- the largest area of free movement in the world."

With Bulgaria and Romania joining, the Schengen zone now comprises 29 members, including 25 EU member states, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein. Romania's government has confirmed that Schengen rules will apply to four sea ports and 17 airports, with Otopeni airport serving as the main hub for Schengen flights. To ensure security, additional staff, including border police and immigration officers, will be deployed to airports.

While Bulgaria and Romania aim to fully integrate into Schengen by the end of the year, Austria has only given approval for air and sea routes. Croatia, which joined the EU after the two countries, became Schengen's 27th member in January 2023.

The Schengen area, established in 1985, allows over 400 million people to travel freely without internal border controls. However, truck drivers, who face lengthy queues at the borders, feel excluded from the benefits. Romanian road transport union UNTRR has called for urgent measures to achieve full Schengen integration, citing significant financial losses caused by long waits.

The slow progress has also drawn frustration from Bulgarian businesses, as the majority (97 percent) of their goods are transported by land. Vasil Velev, president of the Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association (BICA), expressed dismay over being only at three percent integration into Schengen.

Romanian Interior Minister Catalin Predoiu highlighted the irreversible nature of the integration process, affirming that it must be completed by 2024 with the extension to land borders. As Bulgaria and Romania continue their efforts towards full inclusion, their partial membership in the Schengen area marks a symbolic step forward for both countries and their citizens' sense of belonging within the European Union.