Romania's and Bulgaria's Stalled Schengen Accession

The debate over Bulgaria and Romania's admission to the Schengen zone — an area in which border controls between members are lifted — shows how contentious the issue of European integration has become, especially regarding Eastern Europe and the free movement of people. Northern and Western European countries are gradually becoming more concerned that migration could weaken national social security systems. Numerous countries will be inclined to introduce measures to curb immigration as the European financial crisis deepens and as migration, especially from southeastern Europe, grows.