Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania ‘ready’ for visa-free travel zone, European Commission says

Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania “are ready to join” Europe’s visa-free travel area, European Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said Wednesday.

The countries — all EU members — have “strongly proven” they can meet the conditions needed to participate, she added, following a meeting of EU commissioners. Each country has been working for years to gain acceptance to the free-travel Schengen zone, which can open up benefits for the countries involved by facilitating the movement of both tourists and residents.