—
State of the Union (continuation of debate)
Dear President Von der Leyen, I would like to welcome the announcement to propose a new strategy for the future of the Schengen area and remind you that my country of origin, Romania, has been fulfilling all the necessary conditions for the application of the Schengen acquis since June 2011. This has been recognised by Heads of State and Government in the Council on numerous occasions, as well as in European Commission communications and European Parliament resolutions in recent years. However, ten years apart, Romania is still outside the Schengen area, and Romanian citizens, perhaps the most pro-European across the EU, are still lined up at border controls for every exit or entry into the country. This unjustifiable situation is difficult to accept and difficult to explain to Romanian citizens. I therefore ask you, dear Ms Von der Leyen, both as President of the European Commission and as a member of the European Council, to address this issue within the framework of the new strategy for the Schengen area and to send a message in this regard to the Romanian citizens during your visit to Bucharest on 27 September.