Romania will close over 30 border crossing points starting January 1, 2025.
A decision posted on the Ministry of Internal Affairs website lists the state border crossing points of Romania that will be permanently closed:
At the border with Hungary
- 1. Petea, Satu Mare County – road;
- 2. Carei, Satu Mare County – railway;
- 3. Urziceni, Satu Mare County – road;
- 4. Valea lui Mihai, Bihor County – railway and road;
- 5. Săcuieni, Bihor County – road;
- 6. Episcopia Bihor, Bihor County – railway;
- 7. Borş, Bihor County – road;
- 8. Salonta, Bihor County – road and railway;
- 9. Vărşand, Arad County – road;
- 10. Curtici, Arad County – railway;
- 11. Tudor Vladimirescu, Arad County – RO-LA road;
- 12. Turnu, Arad County – road;
- 13. Nădlac, Arad County – road;
- 14. Nădlac II, Arad County – road;
- 15. Cenad, Timiş County – road;
- 16. Borş II, Bihor County – road;
- 17. Beba Veche, Timiş County – road;
At the border with Bulgaria
- 1. Calafat, Dolj County – road, railway;
- 2. Bechet, Dolj County – road (ferry) and port;
- 3. Corabia, Olt County – port;
- 4. Turnu Măgurele, Teleorman County – road (ferry) and port;
- 5. Zimnicea, Teleorman County – road (ferry) and port;
- 6. Giurgiu, Giurgiu County – road, railway, and port;
- 7. Olteniţa, Călăraşi County – port;
- 8. Călăraşi (Chiciu), Călăraşi County – road (ferry) and port;
- 9. Ostrov, Constanţa County – road;
- 10. Lipniţa, Constanţa County – road;
- 11. Dobromir, Constanţa County – road;
- 12. Negru Vodă, Constanţa County – road and railway;
- 13. Vama Veche, Constanţa County – road;
- 14. Giurgiu II, Giurgiu County – road (ferry).
It is worth mentioning that the Government in Sofia recently adopted a decision to introduce temporary controls at the border with Romania for a period of six months, starting January 1, 2025. The decision aims to ensure the implementation of the quadripartite declaration between Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Romania, agreed on November 22 in Budapest, as well as the decision of the JHA Council on setting a date for eliminating controls on persons at the internal land borders with and between Bulgaria and Romania.
At the Black Sea and the Danube River
- 1. Brăila, Brăila County – port;
- 2. Cernavodă, Constanţa County – port;
The Calafat border crossing point will remain open, operating as a port.
The current buildings and infrastructure of the existing border crossing points will be preserved and maintained.
The explanatory note of the document emphasizes that this is necessary in order to eventually reintroduce border controls if needed.
Furthermore, the elimination of border controls "involves the need to enhance measures to ensure public order and safety, especially considering that Romania currently faces a variety of illegal migration methods, given its geographical position at the crossroads between the East – as a departure area for migrants, and the West – as a destination for illegal migration."
On December 12, the Council of the European Union decided that Romania and Bulgaria will join Schengen with their land borders January 1, meaning that Romania and Bulgaria will become external borders for the Schengen area.