Romania and the Republic of Bulgaria strongly welcome the decision adopted unanimously today, December 12th, by the Justice and Home Affairs Council, on completing the process of full integration of Romania and the Republic of Bulgaria to the Schengen area. It is a historic decision that completes the process of accession of the two countries to the area of free movement within EU, a major objective of both Romania and the Republic of Bulgaria since their accession to the European Union. Through the formal adoption of today’s decision, the 1st of January 2025 is becoming officially the date for the lifting of checks on persons at internal land borders with and between Romania and the Republic of Bulgaria. Romania and the Republic of Bulgaria are expressing their deep satisfaction with regard to this new recognition of their role as consistent contributors to the consolidation of European security, including through an effective and full protection of EU external borders. Furthermore, through this long-awaited decision, the fulfilment by both countries of all Schengen requirements is once more reconfirmed. Moreover, the accession to the free-movement area of both countries brings direct benefits for their citizens, will enhance economic opportunities for their businesses, and will also promote growth within the Single Market. It is a reconfirmation of the values and principles that builds up their citizens’ trust in the European project. From now on, Romanian and Bulgarian citizens are entitled to fully enjoy the benefits of the free movement within the Schengen area. This major positive outcome of the Schengen accession process has been made possible by an extensive work over the past years and through enhanced and consistent bilateral, as well as regional cooperation developed by both countries, with the active support of European institutions. Romania and the Republic of Bulgaria provided, by their consistent contribution, the needed results and guarantees for consolidating the long-term resilience of the EU free-movement area. Romania and the Republic of Bulgaria are expressing their gratitude towards all European partners - EU institutions, Member States, and the current Hungarian as well as previous EU Council Presidencies that supported us along the process. Both countries remain engaged in bringing their substantive contribution to the protection of EU external borders and the consolidation of the European project.
Romania took the presidency of the Central European Initiative (or CEI) on Wednesday, November 26, according to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE). The organization is a regional intergovernmental forum established in 1989, following the fall of the Berlin Wall. It gathers 17 Member States in Central, Eastern, and South-Eastern Europe […]
Trade between Romania and Poland continues to grow, with annual bilateral exchanges in goods now valued at more than EUR 12 billion, according to figures presented by the Polish-Romanian Bilateral Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PRBCC). The data was released during a reception in Bucharest marking Poland’s Independence Day and Romania’s National Day. Polish investments […]
As Romania moves closer to implementing the EU Pay Transparency Directive, local employers are preparing for one of the most consequential shifts in workplace regulation in over a decade. The directive, set for transposition by June 2026, introduces strict new rules on salary disclosure, pay reporting, and equal-pay verification, aiming to close persistent gender gaps […]
A young Romanian has developed a new system that allows people to return entire bags of recyclable packaging at once, replacing the traditional method of inserting bottles one by one into reverse-vending machines. The concept, called IZI, was created by Ștefan Parascanu, who returned to Romania after studying and working in the United Kingdom. The […]
JTI, the global owner of both Winston and Camel, announced on Thursday, November 27, a plan to build a new, state-of-the-art factory in Ștefăneștii de Jos, Ilfov County. Designed to replace the current Bucharest production site, which is operating under space constraints, the facility is scheduled for completion in 2027. Ground works at the new […]
The City Hall of Oradea, in northwest Romania, has begun installing new smart parking meters as part of its ongoing modernization and digitalization of the municipal parking system. The first batch of devices has already been placed in central areas, and the entire system is expected to become operational by the end of the year. […]
