Brussels, 12 December 2024 (dpa/MIA) - European Union interior ministers are expected on Thursday to set a date to end internal land-border checks with the bloc's members Bulgaria and Romania.

The move would let the two eastern European countries become full members of the Schengen Area, which allows over 400 million people to travel without border checks across many European countries.

Checks at air and sea borders were already dropped on March 31, but Austria has so far vetoed the end of land-border checks over concerns that more migrants could reach Austria via the two countries.

Earlier this week however Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner announced plans to lift his veto and pave the way for Romania and Bulgaria to become full Schengen members.

Karner stressed that migrant arrivals via Bulgaria and Romania to Austria had dropped significantly.

Croatia was the last EU country to become a full Schengen member when internal border checks were ended in January 2023.

EU interior ministers will also discuss the state of the Schengen Area as many countries, including Germany, reintroduced border checks with neighbouring EU countries intended to reduce irregular migration and combat people smuggling.

The Schengen Area includes most European Union member states, excluding Ireland and Cyprus. Additionally, the non-EU nations Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein are part of the travel area.

Ministers also plan to take stock of the implementation of a far-reaching EU asylum and migration reform.

MIA file photo