RFI: France Blocks Technical Report On Romania’s Schengen Accession

The issue will probably be put on the agenda of the Schengen evaluation group’s next meeting, when France is expected to state whether it objects to the text.

The report, prepared by European experts and read in a Schengen evaluation workgroup in Brussels, says Romania meets this criterion for accession to the free movement area. Reports on the security of Romania’s land and air borders have already been approved by Brussels, in 2010.

Every member state has accepted the report, except France, which has blocked the process, people close to the matter told RFI.

The workgroup also discussed two reports on Bulgaria (the SIS / SIRENE information system) and the results of the re-evaluation of its land border with Turkey. It received thumbs down from the EU’s experts, leading France, Germany and Finland to request another re-evaluation.