Romania's access to Schengen remains a priority

Romania is committed to it's role in the partnership with NATO and the EU as fundamental pillars of it's foreign policy said President Klauss Iohannis in a meeting with the heads of diplomatic missions accredited in Romania. He also mentioned that "today, the future of the Schengen area is questionable. Romania is already acting as a state for the Schengen area and takes an active role in the construction of the European policy to protect and strengthen the Union's borders. Beyond the present circumstances, Romania maintains its goal of joining this space."

Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos also spoke about the commitment of the country for the accession in the Schengen during a visit in Paris to meet French President Francois Hollande: "Romania wants long to become a full member of the Schengen Area. And our countries' interior ministers discuss at this time to determine what steps we must follow. I have raised the issue of migration and I have confirmed that Romania supports projects for the consolidation of border control. Romania itself has one of the largest external borders of the EU under its responsibility and we have confirmed our intention to further do our job in this regard and hope that this contribution of Romania will be acknowledged alongside the criteria which have already been met by Romania in order to join the Schengen zone”.

French President Francois Hollande reaffirmed the support of his country for Romania's accession to the Schengen zone. “The Schengen system should be improved, since the fray this would have extremely serious consequences for the EU. We want to ensure a future of Schengen. Because dissolution of the Schengen system would have extremely serious consequences for the European Union. We need to improve the Schengen system, to discuss again a number of rules and ways of application, but we must keep free-movement in the Schengen space, "said Hollande.