Croatia to become part of Schengen in 2023

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Having met all the criteria, Croatia should join the European Union’s (EU) Schengen free movement zone from next year, according to Prime Minister Andrej Plenković

At an EU summit in Prague on 7 October, Plenković said: “Croatia has fulfilled all the criteria and is ready to provide additional clarification on that to anyone who seeks it, so that we can enter on 1 January 2023.”

He added that a committee of the European Parliament is expected to give its approval for the integration of Croatia into Schengen ‘in the coming weeks’, before adding that the final decision remained with the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council.

The move is expected to provide a boost to Croatia’s tourism industry – facilitating travel for the 10 million Europeans who visit the country each year.

Croatia dropped the last of its Covid-related entry requirements in May 2022.