(31 Mar 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Brussels, Belgium - 29 March 2024
1. SOUNDBITE (English) Sylvain Plazy, Associated Press Senior Producer for the Benelux region:
++SOUNDBITE PARTIALLY OVERLAID BY SHOTS 2-8++
"The border-free travel zone in Europe called the Schengen area is expanding to add two new countries: Romania and Bulgaria. Air and sea passengers from those countries are no longer required to go through passport controls. But it is a partial expansion only, as drivers will still have to go through borders checks. And that is because Austria is fearing that irregular migration might increase if Romania and Bulgaria are fully admitted into Schengen. So what is the Schengen area? It is named after a small village in Luxembourg where the original deal was signed back in 1995 between only 5 European Union countries. It now includes 28 countries and guarantees free movement to more than 425 million European citizens."
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sofia, Bulgaria - 31 March 2024
++PARTIALLY OVERLAYS SOUNDBITE IN SHOT 1++
2. Sign reading (English/Bulgarian) “Schengen Arrivals”
3. Various of people scanning tickets and going through gates
4. Wide of people going up escalator
5. People walking past signs of EU flag
6. Family arriving at airport
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Bucharest, Romania - 31 March 2024
++PARTIALLY OVERLAYS SOUNDBITE IN SHOT 1++
7. Close of sign reading (Romanian/English): "EU citizens," passport control in background
8. People walking through airport
STORYLINE:
Romania and Bulgaria partially joined Europe’s ID-check-free travel zone on Sunday, marking a new step in the two countries’ integration with the European Union.
After years of negotiations to join the Schengen area, there is now free access for travellers arriving by air or sea from both countries. However, land border checks will remain in place due to opposition primarily from Austria which has long blocked their bid over illegal migration concerns.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hailed the change as a “huge success for both countries” and a “historic moment” for what is the world’s largest free travel zone.
The Schengen Area was established in 1985. Before Bulgaria and Romania’s admission, it was comprised of 23 of the 27 EU member countries, along with Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Around 3.5 million people cross an internal border each day.
Austria vetoed Romania and Bulgaria’s admission into the Schengen zone at the end of 2022 but allowed Croatia full accession. Bulgaria and Romania joined the EU in 2007 and Croatia in 2013.
The EU’s executive branch, the European Commission, has said for more than a decade that Romania and Bulgaria both meet the technical criteria for full accession, which requires unanimous support from their partners.
Both countries have agreed to implement random security screening at airports and maritime borders to combat illegal migration and cross-border crime.
AP Video shot by Nic Dumitrache and Valentina Petrova
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