Romania and Bulgaria to join Schengen free-travel area from Jan. 1

Romania and Bulgaria will become full members of Europe'sSchengen free-travel area from next month, swelling the number of nations to 29, the EU said on Thursday.

Checks at land borders with Bulgaria and Romania will stop from Jan. 1 after Austria dropped a veto it had maintained on grounds they needed to do more to stop illegal immigration.

EU and NATO alliance members Romania and Bulgaria partlyjoined Schengen in March after an agreement with Austria.

While air and maritime checks for Romania and Bulgaria with other nations in the travel zone were lifted, negotiations with Austria over land entry continued through 2024.

Austria this week said its demands on Bulgaria and Romania had led to a fall in the number of migrants intercepted near the border with Hungary, a common route towards northern Europe for migrants from Africa or the Middle East.

"This step will benefit not only Bulgarian and Romanian citizens, but also the EU as a whole," Hungarian Interior Minister Sandor Pinter said in a statement.

Although the Schengen agreements guarantee free travel, several members including Germany and the Netherlands have recently increased controls to stem illegal immigration.

Romania's President Klaus Iohannis said time at borders and logistics costs for companies would be slashed, making the country more attractive for foreign investors.

"The advantages of our joining the free-travel area are multiple and directly impact citizens, the economy and our country's image abroad," he said.