December 11 (SeeNews) - The European Parliament on Tuesday reiterated its call to the Council to swiftly take a positive decision of the bids of Bulgaria and Romania to join the Schengen free-travel area.
The members of the European Parliament (MEPs) adopted a non-legislative report for the Schengen entry of the two countries with 514 votes in favour, 107 against and 38 abstentions, the Parliament said in a press release. The resolution was drafted by the parliament's civil liberties committee.
The MEPs emphasized that a two-step approach - first abolishing checks at internal sea and air borders, followed by stopping checks at internal land borders - would pose a number of risks and could negatively impact the future enlargement of the Schengen area, therefore the decision shouldbe taken in the form of a single legal act.
The European Parliament also called on the Council to decide on Croatia’s Schengen accession as soon as the country has successfully met the required criteria.
"Today the Parliament has taken a step in addition to the repeated calls for the immediate admission of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen area, insisting for full accession with all borders - land, sea and air. We firmly reject partial adhesion because it not only has no legal justification but also causes negative economic, social and political repercussions across the European Union," rapporteur Sergei Stanishev and member of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the parliament said.
Also, they said that maintaining internal border controls or reintroducing them in the Schengen area undermines citizens’ trust in the European institutions and integration and has a negative economic impact on the EU’s internal market.
The MEPs also said that the enlargement of the Schengen area or the free movement of EU citizens should not be negatively influenced by the shortcomings in EU policies on asylum and migration.
Parliament gave the green light for Bulgaria and Romania to join the Schengen area in June 2011 and has reiterated its position several times since.
Currently, Bulgaria and Romania apply the Schengen acquis partially and checks are carried out at their borders. The final decision on whether the two countries can become full members of the Schengen area has to be made through a unanimous vote in the European Council by EU ministers.
In November, Romanian finance minister Eugen Teodorovici said that one of his country's main objectives is entering Schengen, as being a member of the borderless area will ensure the rapid development of the Romanian economy. The statement was made following a meeting with Jaewoo Lee, head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission for Romania and Bulgaria.
In May, Romania's prime minister Viorica Dancila asked for the support of her Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte for her country's accession to the Schengen area, insisting that Romania has fulfilled all technical criteria to join it.
The Schengen area comprises 26 European states that have officially abolished passport and all other types of border control at their mutual borders.