❖ The European Union has cleared Bulgaria and Romania to become full members of the borderless Schengen zone from the start of next year.

❖ Bulgaria and Romania, both are members of the European Union since 2007.

❖ But Austria had objected to expanding the zone, fearing more illegal immigration.

❖ Created in 1985, the Schengen zone now comprises 29 members.

❖ It also has 25 of the 27 European Union member states plus Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

❖ It is the world’s biggest area without internal border controls, where more than 400 million people can travel freely inside the zone.