Hungarian officials say Bulgaria and Romania could become full members of Europe’s Schengen travel zone starting at the beginning of 2025.

Romania and Bulgaria may become full members of Europe's borderless Schengen travel zone in January 2025, Hungary said on Friday, adding a final decision would be made at next month's meeting of EU interior ministers.

Romania and Bulgaria secured a deal that paves the way for full access to the European Union’s vast passport-free travel almost two decades after joining the bloc.

Austria has dropped its long-standing veto to Bulgaria and Romania joining the passport free Schengen zone, opening the door to their accession next year.

Romania and Bulgaria will fully join Europe's open-borders Schengen area from January 2025 after a crucial meeting in neighbouring Hungary on Friday, Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said on Monday.

Romania and Bulgaria are set to become full members of the Schengen Area by as early as January 2025, according to officials in Hungarian. The development marks the culmination of years of partial inclusion,

On 22 November in Budapest, the interior ministers of Bulgaria, Romania and Austria signed a declaration on the full accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen area.

By Denitsa Koseva in Sofia Austria agreed on November 22 to lift its veto on the full accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the Schengen zone as of January next year, the Hungarian presidency of the Council of the European Union said in a statement.