Romania seeks Schengen membership by 2011
26/06/2009
Romania is working feverishly to join the Schengen area, and hopes to join the visa-free zone by 2011.
By Paul Ciocoiu for Southeast European Times in Bucharest – 26/06/09
 Romania still has to fulfill a list of Schengen criteria. [EU] |
In its ongoing effort to join the Schengen zone, Romania is preparing to host several visits from representatives of Schengen member states to discuss implementing the group's acquis.
Romania will be evaluated on a series of measures including border security, co-operation between the police and judiciary, personal data protection, and success in equipping embassies and consulates with the necessary tools.
The representatives will also assess progress in implementing the Schengen Information System -- a secure governmental database used by several European countries to maintain and distribute information related to border security and law enforcement.
Romania must implement the Schengen acquis in a uniform, correct, consistent and efficient manner, the press office of the Romanian Border Police told Southeast European Times.
Visa-free travel offers many advantages but also poses challenges, the office said in a statement, because abolishing internal borders could have a negative impact on the national security of member states.
To offset those threats, Schengen states heighten security at external borders, exchange police officer liaisons, and beef up trans-border surveillance and personal data protection.
Romania, an EU member state since 2007, filled out the Schengen questionnaire, a complex document consisting of 250 strategic questions covering the acquis, late last year. The government is trying to make the grade by 2011.
To speed up efforts, Bucharest authorities published a national accession strategy, and founded the Schengen Department in collaboration with Romania's interior ministry.
The country also started rolling out biometric passports, which are an upgrade from their previous travel documents.
Last year 114m euros were invested in securing Romania's approximately 2,000km-long EU border. This past April the country launched the Integrated System of Sea Border Surveillance (SCOMAR) system, which equipped Romania with the latest technology to help secure its roughly 240km sea border.
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