Publication

On September 19, 2012 the EU’s Justice and Home Affairs Council will probably reject Romania’s bid to join the Schengen area as punishment for breaches of the rule of law. The paper argues that while doing this, ministers will leave themselves open to charges of hypocrisy: existing weaknesses in the Schengen regime give them a clear ulterior motive for blocking enlargement. If the EU wishes to punish Bucharest, therefore, it should use the proper channels. Delaying the country’s Schengen bid is nevertheless necessary if the free-movement regime is to be secured.