Ceremonies mark full membership of Bulgaria and Romania in Europe’s Schengen travel zone

Associated Press

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Bulgaria and Romania are holding ceremonies to mark their full membership in Europe’s Schengen area, the culmination of years of negotiations by the Eastern European countries to join the ID check-free travel zone. Identification checks at the land borders between Bulgaria and Romania and their neighboring European Union-member countries were officially ceased at the turn of the new year early Wednesday, providing travelers free access to the rest of the 27-member bloc. The two Balkan countries joined the EU in 2007 but were not integrated into the borderless zone until March, when border checks were lifted from maritime and air travel. Their governments believe full membership will reduce wait times at borders and significantly boost economic activity.