Bulgaria and Romania have taken an important step towards full Schengen membership: from March 2024, air and maritime transport will be subject to the rules of the free movement area. However, Austria has still not lifted its veto against full membership for Bucharest. For Hungary—and for the EU as a whole—enlargement of the area would be crucial for a number of reasons, and it is possible that Vienna will be persuaded by Budapest, which will soon hold the EU presidency.