Free Movement

Brexit Voters Regret: Single Market Access Trumps Free Movement Control

A new ECFR report reveals significant shifts in public opinion regarding EU-UK relations, with majorities in both regions favoring closer ties. Strikingly, 54% of British Leave voters would accept free movement for access to the single market. This desire for closer integration extends across various policy areas, including security, economy, and climate change, exceeding the current governmental stances on both sides of the Channel. The report urges UK and EU leaders to act decisively, aligning policy with the public’s clear preference for a strengthened partnership.

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Romania and Bulgaria Join Schengen: Open Borders, Years of Delays End

Following a vote by European interior ministers in Brussels, Bulgaria and Romania will officially join the Schengen Area on January 1, 2025. Austria, previously opposed, dropped its veto after a deal securing increased Bulgarian border security. This decision concludes a long process, with the countries meeting Schengen requirements since 2010 but facing repeated objections from member states. The expansion marks a significant enlargement of the world’s largest free movement zone.

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