EU lets Bulgaria and Romania fully integrate into Europe's ID-check-free travel zone

European Union ministers on Thursday agreed to let Bulgaria and Romania fully integrate into Europe's ID-check-free travel zone, known as the Schengen area, by lifting land border controls from next year, the EU's Hungarian presidency said.

- 

Bulgaria and Romania joined the Schengen area in March after years of negotiations, providing free access for travelers arriving in both countries by air or sea.

However, land border checks remained in place due to opposition, chiefly from Austria, over concerns that the two countries were not doing enough to prevent migrants from entering without authorization.