The European Commission's Schengen chief Olivier Onidi praises Bulgaria and Romania's Schengen integration and predicts Cyprus could join next year

Olivier Onidi, the EC responsible for the Schengen area, said that the integration of Bulgaria and Romania had been a success, serving as an example for other aspiring countries. He noted that Cyprus could meet the requirements for membership by the end of the year and that Ireland is showing interest in the Schengen rules. Onidi underlined the positive impact of Schengen on the European economy and announced that an evaluation of the economic benefits will be completed soon.