Netherlands firmly against Bulgaria entering Schengen, but Romania & Croatia can join

The Netherlands remains against Bulgaria's accession to the Schengen Area. However, Romania and Croatia are ready to join, said State Secretary Eric van der Burg after the weekly meeting of Cabinet ministers. Bulgaria has not yet met the conditions, Van der Burg said. Prime Minister Mark Rutte called the decision to admit Romania "a big step."

The European Commission believes that all three European Union member states have complied with the agreements made in the past, as does the European Parliament. The subject will be back on the agenda on 8 December when the ministers of justice and home affairs representing EU countries will meet in Brussels. All member states must vote unanimously for a country to be allowed into Schengen.

The Netherlands is one of the few countries that still opposes Bulgaria's entry into the zone where people can travel freely without crossing through a border control. The Cabinet has judged the accession of all candidate countries "in a strict but fair manner," said Foreign Affairs Minister Wopke Hoekstra.

Bulgaria has not yet met two demands, said Prime Minister Mark Rutte at his regular weekly press conference. Bulgaria still faces issues when it comes to the rule of law and the fight against corruption. Furthermore, the country has not yet met the Schengen Area's technical requirements.

There are no political reasons behind the rejection, Rutte said. He called it a "factual, almost administrative decision." The negative determination has nothing to do with his desire to reduce migration into the Netherlands, he claimed.

The decision will not necessarily stop Bulgaria from soon joining the Schengen Area, the prime minister stressed. It could happen "sometime next year" if the country can meet the requirements.