On Thursday 7 December in Bucharest, the Delegate Minister for European Affairs, Victor Negrescu, made an appeal in front of a number of journalists, including EUROPE, for a decision involving the accession of his country to the Schengen area of free movement of persons to be taken in the second half of 2018.
According to Mr Negrescu, this decision would be difficult to take under the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2018 or or under the Romanian Presidency during the first half of 2019 because they will be playing a mediating role. Nonetheless, he did envisage that, “the six months between the two presidencies could perhaps provide a moment where a decision could be taken".
According to Mr Negrescu integration of his country into the Schengen area at the end of 2018 could be done in two stages during the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU. The minister would like his country to join the area by way of its airports in order to facilitate the arrivals of senior European officials during the presidential tenure when 60,000 people are expected for the occasion. His justification for this was that, “We are capable of adapting ourselves in a few weeks. It isn't a problem and it won't affect anyone".
Mr Negrescu and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Teodor Meleșcanu, think this is no longer about Romania proving that it is fulfilling technical criteria but a matter of obtaining a political agreement.
Since 2011, the country, similarly to Bulgaria, has been fulfilling the criteria to join Schengen area but certain countries want to link this accession to the cooperation and verification mechanism (CVM) (see EUROPE 11905), which requires further progress from these two countries.
The country is spending 6% of its GDP on internal and external security and according to Mr Negrescu, has the most modern border equipment.
Mr Meleșcanu explained, “We don't think there are any technical problems but at the same time, we have to recognise that there are a few political problems”.
Therefore, according to one senior Romanian civil servant, the main concern involving the country joining the Schengen area focuses on trade flows between eastern and western Europe and the risks of competition. This person explained, "One of the big problems is the question of corporate relocations and the cost of company transfers”. According to this source, once Romania is in the Schengen area, channelling a product from the latter to Germany would only take 20 hours, as opposed to the current 2 to 3 days, due to border controls. This official added, "There is a certain hostility to opening up to Romania, one of the most dynamic economies in the region" and for whom there are no other explanations in this regard.
The ministers, however, remain positive and Mr Meleșcanu added, “We will continue the dialogue with all member states so as to be sure of obtaining consensus” on a vote in support of Romania joining the Schengen area.
Mr Negrescu explained, “Schengen integration depends on a vote (at unanimity). I hope there will be a discussion on the subject quite soon, next year. I hope a vote will take place to reveal the different positions" of the member states. He was quite confident and said, "When we are discussing directly it seems like no one has any problems”.
The Delegate Minister for European Affairs, however, explained that the member states were keeping the ball between themselves and regretted that, “each of them are telling us to discuss it with another country”. He has met the French and German authorities and will soon see the Dutch authorities.
No rush to the euro
Although Romania wants to join the Schengen area as soon as possible, its government is preferring to take its time with regard to adoption of the euro. Its Minister for European affairs explained, "We know we have to be prepared. We do not want another Greece".
Mr Negrescu said that he was in favour of a Eurozone integration mechanism such as the one recently suggested by the Commission (see EUROPE 11920) but regretted, however, that the countries concerned have not had any consultations on what the modalities would be for this kind of mechanism.
The country’s deficit is less than 3% of GDP and its debt stood at 37.6% of GDP in 2016. Growth in 2017 is expected to reach a minimum of 6%. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)