Croatia will join the Schengen Area at the start of 2023, the European Union confirmed on November 8, following a vote on whether to admit more countries.
Key points
Ministers from the 27 EU member states have been voting on expanding the Schengen visa-free zone to include members Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia.
- However, the chances for Romania and Bulgaria to join the zone, were dashed following opposition from Austria.
- Croatia joined the EU in 2013; Romania and Bulgaria had become member states six years earlier.
About Schengen Area
- Schengen Area signifies a zone where 26 European countries, abolished their internal borders, for the free and unrestricted movement of people, in harmony with common rules for controlling external borders and fighting criminality by strengthening the common judicial system and police cooperation.
- Schengen Area covers most of the EU countries, except Ireland and the countries that are soon to be part of the Schengen Area: Romania, Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Croatia.
- Although not members of the EU, countries like Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Lichtenstein are also part of the Schengen zone.
- The 26 Schengen countries are Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
