Access for Bulgaria and Romania to the Schengen Visa Information System

 

MEPs adopted a Council proposal to grant Bulgaria and Romania access to the Visa Information System (VIS) on Wednesday.  

 

The Council decision would allow Bulgaria and Romania to consult and check VIS data, but without the right to enter, amend or delete them. 

 

The text was adopted by 610 votes to 50, with 33 abstentions.

 

Parliament said in a legislative resolution voted on 8 June 2011 that Bulgaria and Romania are ready to join the Schengen border check-free area.

 

As long ago as 9 June 2011, Council concluded that Bulgaria and Romania had met all the Schengen acquis conditions on air borders, land borders, police cooperation, data protection, the Schengen Information System, sea borders and visas.

 

The final political decision on whether Bulgaria and Romania can become part of the Schengen area, and thus drop systematic checks at borders with neighbouring EU countries, has to be taken unanimously by the Council.