A mixed team of experts, made up of representatives of the European Commission, as coordinators, and of some member states, including the Netherlands, will carry out, until the end of the week, a complementary visit to the one from October 9-11, to clarify any additional aspects of interest related to Romania’s application of the Schengen acquis, the Government announced following a request from Agerpres.

„The visit to Romania, mentioned by European Commissioner Ylva Johansson during the press conference held on the occasion of the presentation of the European Commission’s Communication on the extension of the Schengen area, takes place as a result of the openness shown by the Romanian authorities to clarify any additional aspects of interest related to the application by Romania of the Schengen acquis. Thus, taking into account the statements of the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and the adoption of the motion of the Dutch Parliament, which shows that additional elements are expected before the formulation of a final decision by the Netherlands on this subject, Romania expressed full availability to receive Dutch experts to ascertain the progress in the fields of interest for the Netherlands, from the perspective of the application of the Schengen acquis”, reads the Government’s communication.

The new visit, the quoted source states, also has a voluntary character, similar to the one from October 9-11, with the aim of contributing to the consolidation of the argument regarding the very good level of preparation of Romania in the application of the Schengen acquis, a level confirmed by the recent Communication of the European Commission and the report of the voluntary visit from October, which became public on Wednesday, November 16.

The European Commission asked, on Wednesday, the EU Council to take the necessary decisions, without any delay, to allow the full accession of Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia to the Schengen Area.

In a communication adopted on Wednesday regarding a stronger Schengen Area, the Commission welcomed the successes of the three EU member states in applying the Schengen rules.

Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia are ready to join [the Schengen Area] and the EU is ready to receive them, declared the European Commissioner for Internal Affairs, Ylva Johansson, in a press conference in Brussels on Wednesday.

I expect the member states to take this important and historic positive decision. A moment of great pride for the citizens of the three countries. And, most importantly, a decision in our interest, for all of us, added Ylva Johansson.

The reason why we adopted this communication is to help the member states reach a conclusion, to have a better basis for their decision, before the Council on December 8 (…) We believe that all the facts are already on the table. But we are ready to support all the additional responses that are necessary for the member states, she emphasized.

Agerpres