Dutch business community: We disagree with Dutch Govt. veto on Romania's Schengen entry

The Dutch Romanian Network has expressed its disagreement with the decision of the Dutch government regarding the refusal by veto of the entry of Romania into the Schengen zone, announced the network, speaking on behalf of the Dutch business community. “We would like to ask all involved members of the government(s) to break the deadlock in the negotiations. We propose a more pragmatic path. In this scope we would like to draw the attention to the compromise of Germany and France, they proposed a two-step scenario,” writes a statement from the Dutch Romanian Network.

The Netherlands will try to prevent Romania and Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen area, said the country’s Immigration Minister Gerd Leers during the speech he held in front of the country’s Parliament, according to Dutch media. Neither of the two countries is doing enough efforts to combat corruption, fact that was confirmed by the European Commission’s report this summer, he added. According to media reports, France and Germany will vote for Romania and Bulgaria's phased entry into the Schengen area. The Justice and Internal Affairs committee in Brussels will discuss the issue and vote on Thursday, September 22. The Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc also said recently that Romania’s Government hopes the country will join the Schengen area next year, depending on European-level decision. Romania and Bulgaria were expected to join the Schengen area in the spring of 2011, but several European countries have opposed it, saying the country still needs to fulfill some criteria. Romania has blocked several trucks with flowers, bulbs and seeds from Holland at its border with Hungary, saying it suspects a dangerous bacteria on flowers and bulbs. Dutch members of the European Parliament have deemed the move a blackmail, as it came soon after the Netherlands has said it would block Romania’s accession to the Schengen area. The Netherlands’ flower exports to Romania reached EUR 700,000 last year. The matter will be on the agenda on Thursday in the Justice and Internal Affairs Council in Brussels. The European Commission will verify whether Romania’s recent decision had grounds. editor@romania-insider.com (photo source: Sxc.hu)