According to Amac News: Christoph Neumayer, Secretary-General of the Federation of Austrian Industries, stated that the full accession of Romania and Bulgaria to Schengen would provide a significant contribution to stability and economic growth.
He emphasized that open borders are a cornerstone of the single market, facilitating investments and creating reliable frameworks that significantly benefit the economy.
Official data indicates that Austrian companies are among the top investors in Romania and Bulgaria. Austrian investments in Romania amount to €12.3 billion, supporting over 61,000 local jobs, while in Bulgaria, Austrian investments total €3 billion, providing more than 22,000 job opportunities.
Notably, Gerhard Karner, Austria’s Interior Minister, recently agreed with his Romanian and Bulgarian counterparts on a package of measures to strengthen external European border protection in both countries. This agreement outlines a path for their full Schengen accession and the cessation of Austria’s opposition, which has blocked their membership since 2022.