The European Parliament has approved with an overwhelming majority an EU Council decision that both Bulgaria and Romania comply with data security requirements for joining the "Schengen Information System" (SIS).
A report by Carlos Coelho (EPP, PT) approving the Council decision, which is the first step towards lifting the border checks, was given the green light with 525 votes in favour, 18 against and 54 abstentions.
A working group asked to verify whether Bulgaria's and Romania's branches of the SISsystem ensure satisfactory levels of data protection has reached an overall positive conclusion, thus paving the way for further tests before the end of the year.
The decision aims to pen in a deadline for implementing the regulations regarding theSchengen Information System, which will allow the two countries to provide and extract data from the system under certain limitations.
Currently, Bulgarian citizens are allowed visa-free entry into the Schengen system and there is eased access to Bulgaria for Schengen visa holders, but the country is not a full member of the system.
