The European Commission will send a voluntary fact-finding mission to Bulgaria and Romania to determine whether the two countries are ready to join the Schengen Agreement, Club Z has learned.
The mission in both countries will take place from October 9 to 15.
It was announced to Club Z yesterday by the Dutch MEP from the European People’s Party (EPP), Jeroen Lenaars – one of the people who, for now, opposes the admission of the two Balkan countries into the area of free movement. He did not elaborate.
However, Club Z managed to get information on the matter.
The research mission is a joint initiative of Bulgaria and Romania. Its scope includes police cooperation and Schengen Information System (SIS) issues, external border management, return issues, as well as a horizontal screening element – fundamental human rights.
By the end of September, a total of 15 countries had nominated their experts. Two people each from Poland, Germany, Sweden, France and Greece and one each from Slovenia, Norway, Czech Republic, Portugal, Slovakia, Hungary and Denmark were selected.
The lead representatives are Peter Karol from Germany – an expert on external border management, visas and the EU Visa Information System (VIS), Esmeralda Lourou from Portugal – an expert on police cooperation and SIS, and Niklas Axelsson from Sweden – an expert on returns.
Experts from Frontex, Europol and the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) will also participate in the visit as observers.
Interestingly, the Netherlands never responded to the invitation. The Hague is adamant that the scope of the mission is limited by areas, time and experts, and they do not accept it. They want a comprehensive visit and a report from the Commission, with which they have enough time to familiarize themselves and come up with a position.
This is a long process given the involvement of the Dutch parliament, they believe in Sofia. Therefore, at the moment it would be difficult for the Netherlands to change its position and vote in favor of Bulgaria in the Council of the EU. For now, the Low Countries still tie Schengen acceptance to the Cooperation and Evaluation Mechanism (CME). It has not yet been terminated for Bulgaria and Romania, although there will be no new reports specifically for our country.
The Bulgarian authorities do not hide their hopes in the mission to include experts from the Netherlands.
Today, the European Parliament in Strasbourg must debate the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to Schengen. The debate was convened on the initiative of the Spanish MEP Irache Garcia – chairman of the parliamentary group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (SiD).
The resolution will be voted on at the session between October 17 and 21. Although it is not of great importance and the Council of the EU has the last word, and with complete unanimity, the votes of MEPs can influence governments.
In front of Club Z, Jeroen Lennars promised that the Dutch representatives from the EPP can recommend to The Hague to support our country. However, the conclusions of the EC mission in Bulgaria and Romania should be seen, the MEP added. And it is unlikely that they will be announced before the vote in Strasbourg.
However, the vote on the Schengen resolution has in no way hurt, answered a question of Club Z, the German Gabriele Bischoff – vice-chairman of the CD group. She is convinced that whatever the outcome of the vote, it will not affect the Council at all, neither to our detriment nor to our advantage.
“All socialists in the EP will support Bulgaria and Romania, I don’t expect any surprises.” I’ve talked to everyone”the Romanian Rovana Plumb – the other vice-president of the group – answered our question.
The non-admission of Bulgaria and Romania to the Schengen area is simply discrimination, believes Petar Vitanov – head of the Bulgarian delegation in the SID group.
“We have done everything necessary to be allowed into this club. There are specific criteria, there is the Schengen Borders Code. And after we have fulfilled everything, suddenly some political criteria appear. It’s not fair game”he stated.
And he added that against the background of threats from the east, a higher level of integration is needed. In addition, our entry into Schengen will strengthen the security of the external borders. Because some of the forces that are currently guarding the Bulgarian-Romanian border or the Bulgarian-Greek border can be moved to the problematic border with Turkey, from where there is a danger of a large migration flow. /Club Z
Tags: inviting mission Schengen today MEPs discussing entry Bulgaria Romania
-
