European Commission spokeswoman, Mina Andreeva, at a Monday’s press conference in Brussels, said that Bulgaria and Romania are ready to join the Schengen area.
"We believe that Romania and Bulgaria passed the qualifications for membership in the Schengen area. Now the Member States should make an appropriate decision", she said.
At the moment members of the Schengen zone are 22, out of the 28 members of the European Union. The United Kingdom, Ireland and Cyprus are not part of the zone, and Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia aspire to membership.